Robert Ulrich Schwartz
Robert Ulrich Schwartz of Sag Harbor died on December 9 at his home following a long illness. He was 88.
Born August 8, 1922, in New York City to Wellington and Ottilie Schwartz, he moved to Brooklyn with his family when he was a child and spent the rest of his youth in White Plains, where he was the youngest to achieve Eagle Scout status at age 14. He graduated from Hobart College in 1949, after serving as radio operator in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 420th Bomb Squadron, from 1942 to 1946.
He was a salesman and an entrepreneur, achieving national recognition selling postage machines in New York City for Pitney Bowes. Striking out on his own he sold everything from shark’s teeth to anti-freeze. He eventually landed on the idea of selling posters of movie stars that began with an advertisement of Humphrey Bogart in Life Magazine and Rolling Stone that started the poster craze in the late 1960s. He started Personality Posters, a store that sold posters and novelty items, which grew to include three locations in Manhattan. He went on to form Ludlow Sales in 1976, selling black and white photos and sepia print post cards of celebrities, movie stars and musicians. The business was eventually sold to Classico San Francisco in 1990.
An avid boater and sailor, he and his wife frequently cruised the waters off eastern Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island and had many adventures traveling up and down the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida and among the tropical islands of the Bahamas. He loved to be entertained by friends and family, survivors said.
He was survived by his wife, Barbara Dexter Schwartz of Sag Harbor; a son Erik Schwartz and his wife Lisa Zawadzki Schwartz; three grandchildren Ezra, Ava, and Jack; two stepdaughters, Kathleen Boyer and Deirdre Cooke; three stepsons, Christian Cooke, Kevin Cooke, and Brian Cooke; 10 step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a sister, Elise Vons Ulrich.
A memorial service was held on December 13 at The Boathouse Restaurant in East Hampton. Mr. Schwarz will be entombed at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter, 3281 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite E-13, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-7675 would be appreciated by the family.
on Dec 15, 2010