Sidney Goldstein Celebrates 94 Years

As a boy who grew up in Brooklyn, it has always been a thrill for Sidney Goldstein to point out that he now lives off a dirt road in the Hamptons.

Mr. Goldstein celebrated his 90th birthday on December 24, less than two weeks ago, and has lived off the same dirt road, near the college in Southampton, since the late 1970s. He and his late wife, Marilyn, discovered the property during one of their many camping trips taken when they were young.

During the 1980s, Mr. Goldstein could often be found standing behind the lens of a video camera, documenting the East End’s arts community. He continues to be an eager participant in the many of the cultural, religious and community activities offered in Southampton.

Among his favorite haunts are the Parrish Art Museum and Rogers Memorial Library, where he is always warmly greeted by staff. He has attended many of the writers conferences at Southampton College and always visits the Stony Brook Southampton campus whenever he can to catch an interesting lecture.

While his mind remains sharp, Mr. Goldstein’s body is a tad frail these days. As a result, he now gets around with the help of his eldest daughter, Nancy Mancini, and his caregiver, Kazi. They drive him around in his beloved 2003 Buick—he only purchases American-made vehicles—and it remains in good running order, despite its 108,000 miles, thanks to the good folks over at the Meineke Car Care Center in Southampton.

As a non-combat veteran of World War II—he was heading for Milwaukee for pilot training when the war ended—Mr. Goldstein attends all the Veterans Day and Memorial Day celebrations held in downtown Southampton.

Mr. Goldstein is a founding member of Chabad in Southampton and enjoys learning with Rabbi Konikov. He also always try to eat healthy—salads are a big part of his diet—and often incorporates some of his own crops, grown with advice provided by Bridge Gardens manager Rick Bogusch, into his recipes.

With his family scattered about the globe, Mr. Goldstein often notes his good fortune to be part of the wonderful “small town” community of Southampton, according to his daughter.

Happy birthday, Mr. Goldstein! His daughter wanted this to be a surprise … so surprise!