Samuel Weiss
October 29, 1936 - January 1, 2021
Miami Beach, Florida - Samuel Weiss, whose love of the arts, good company, and a fine meal was only exceeded by his love for his family and friends, passed peacefully on New Years Day at his home of 48 years on Miami Beach.
Born in Manhattan on October 29, 1936, he was the son of Arnold Weiss and Minnie Fine Weiss. As a child, he sang in the choir of the New York City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. He graduated from Bronx Science, and the University of Missouri where he was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and received a BS in Journalism.
Weiss’s career in the news media started at CBS Television in New York, and continued even after he was inducted into the Third Army. After completing his service, Weiss moved to California where he was the assignment editor for the KABC newscasts at 5 and 11 o’clock.
In 1968, Weiss left television and took over the family kosher catering business, which became Mada’n Kosher Foods. In 1970, Weiss expanded the business to Miami Beach to meet the growing demand for kosher meals by the world’s airline industry. The Kosher division also included Mada’n Travel Services, which hosted an annual Passover Tour for 35 years.
Weiss reconnected to television as a caterer in 1972, when both political parties held their nominating conventions in Miami Beach. The three major television networks contracted with Weiss to feed the television media. So began Convention Caterers and Gourmet Productions and the start of the non-kosher location catering divisions of MADCO. The corporate offices relocated from Miami Beach to Dania Beach in 1978. While building his business Weiss received his MBA from the University of Miami in 1979.
Numerous accolades include a Golden Mike award; IFSA Inflight Awards; a Golden Globe nomination for his work on, “The Year One”. Over the years he was involved in and supported the arts, and numerous charities including City of Dania Beach MLK Committee, The Coconut Grove Arts Festival, FANfare, The Barton Ravlin Chapter of the Women’s Cancer Association of University of Miami/Sylvester, The DEED Club, and Cure PSP.
Weiss was a long standing member of Temple Beth Shalom on Miami Beach and a member of LaGorce Country Club.
In 1964 he married Sheila Kimmel. They had three children and later divorced. In 1992 he married Elaine “Dusty” Baloff mother of Sherry Tillman and Marcy Muralles. Elaine passed away in May of 2015.
Sam Weiss is survived by his children Judi (Vadim Chislov), Arnie (Silvia Lattova), Robbie (Hedi Truus) and by his grandchildren Monika Chislov, Tivon Weiss, and Cadon Weiss.
A private memorial service will be held at Levitt-Weinstein Memorial Chapel in North Miami Beach on January 14, 2021, 10:45 am ET. Followed by a private internment service at the South Florida National Cemetery on January 14, 2021.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the New World Symphony. https://www.nws.edu/support-nws/donate-now/