Otto Weiss

December 26, 1928 – September 9, 2020

Otto Weiss passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 91. He is survived by his loving children, Paul Weiss (Allison), Karen Hanten (Mark), and Eric Weiss (Lydia), adoring grandchildren Jeremy Weiss, Naomi Weiss, Connor Hanten, Madison Hanten, Adam Weiss and Abby Weiss, and great-granddaughter, Lily Fuller. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Idell Weiss. Otto was born in Chicago to Hungarian immigrant parents, Morris and Gizella, on December 26, 1928. His mother, had been in the US for 11 months when he was born, named him “Otto” so his name wouldn’t stand out; after all, it was a very common name where she came from! Otto had a seemingly endless reserve of stories of growing up in Chicago in the ‘30s and ‘40s, alternating between the hilarious and the hairraising, and back again. His father had a pushcart and later a dry goods store on Maxwell Street, where Otto worked selling packets of underwear for 35¢ each, two for 75¢.

He started college at age 17, eventually transferring to UCLA, where he majored in accounting. After graduation, he moved to San Francisco because he heard that accountants made a few dollars more a month here than in LA. He joined the accounting firm of Aitel & Aitel, along the way passing the CPA exam on his first try, and soon became a partner in the firm. In 1971, he started his own firm and established himself as an extremely creative accountant and advisor.

In ~1953 he met his beshert, Idell Rosenthal, when he split his pants -- squatting behind home plate, playing catcher at a softball game. Idell was the only person in the stands with a safety pin! They met again at a JCC dance, and the romance blossomed. They married in 1954, and Otto took tremendous joy and pride in the lives and accomplishments of their three children and six grandchildren. Otto and Idell had a close relationship until Idell’s death in 2017, and enjoyed tennis, travel, hiking and (yes) tennis. Otto was deeply interested in politics, and returned to school at age 61 to earn a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. He and Idell were avid supporters of the San Francisco Ballet and Symphony, and many Jewish charities. Otto volunteered with the Jewish Community Federation and for many years offered much advice and support to the Jewish Student Newspaper at UC Berkeley.

Due to current conditions, the family will be holding a private graveside service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jewish Community Federation, the San Francisco Ballet, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, or the charity of your choice.