Stephen S. Weiss

Stephen S. Weiss, husband to the late Frances A. Weiss, and father to Kimberly Weiss Shrank and Samantha Weiss Critchell, died on Tuesday, Jan. 8. He was 72. He suffered a stroke while hospitalized at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington. Steve, as he was known, had lived full-time in Wilmington, VT, for five years and had been a "weekender" for the 40 years before that. Born as a first-year Baby Boomer on May 18, 1946 in Queens, NY, Steve grew up in Long Beach, NY, with his late parents George and Matilda, and his surviving sister Sandra. As a teenager, Steve enjoyed judo and life-guarding. In college, he studied business at New York University. It was on an NYU ski trip to Mount Snow that Steve met Fran, the great love of his life. They were married in 1968. As a young couple, Steve and Fran enjoyed living in New York City, where Steve worked with his father in the family garment-manufacturing business called Matson Shirts. There was a showroom in the hub of the Garment District, and a full factory near Union Square. Later, Fran would be the designer there. Steve, his wife and then two young daughters moved to Westport, CT, and, later, nearby Waccabuc, NY. Steve's family business evolved during that time to become an international manufacturing business, producing products for some of the biggest apparel brands. Steve enjoyed the extensive travel, especially to China, where he went several times a year. Steve's younger daughter Kim and Samantha's husband Seth both joined the business and would often accompany Steve on these trips. During most of this time, however, Steve maintained a house in Wilmington, and large gatherings with family and friends at the "ski house" were among his happiest times. Steve was an early adopter of new technologies, and gadgetry remained one of his interests into his retirement. He loved to Face-Time his two youngest grandchildren, who live in London. His other interests included politics and cooking. Steve is survived by Samantha and Seth Critchell and their daughters Isabella and Ava of Ridgefield, CT; Kimberly and Jonathan Shrank and their sons Max and Jake of London, England; and his sister Sandra Levy and her family of White Plains, NY. Steve's beloved rescue dog Abby, his constant companion, now lives in Ridgefield. Funeral services are private.