Julian Weidler, known in Napa as the “King of Volunteers” and a founder of Congregation Beth Sholom, died Aug. 29 at the age of 98 — the morning after an early centennial celebration with the community to which he devoted his life.
“Everyone knew him,” said his daughter Jacquelyn Nissim, of Walnut Creek. “He was on so many committees. He was a true believer in the Jewish way of life, and he did many mitzvot, being a good citizen and serving his community diligently.”
Henry Michalski, a Beth Sholom member who organized the event, said he had been working with Donna Mendelsohn of the Jewish Historical Society of Napa Valley on a book about the history of Napa’s Jews when it became evident that Weidler’s work in the community should be recognized sooner rather than later.
Though Weidler wouldn’t turn 100 until December 2012, Michalski got to work with Weidler’s family to organize an early centennial celebration.
“He truly lived the life of tikkun olam,” said Michalski. “He was nonpolitical, never had a bad word for anybody. He was the one you went to if you needed anything, and everyone knew him just as Julian … and yet there was a real reverence for the man.”
Born in 1912, Weidler grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Lowell High School. While attending U.C. Berkeley (and serving as president of his fraternity, Pi Lambda Phi), he got a job with the clothing manufacturer Rough Rider — then a Levi Strauss competitor — through his uncle. He began law school at Boalt but left to work full time at Rough Rider when his father died, in order to support his mother and two sisters.
In 1936, the company sent him to Napa to run its brand-new plant; he went on to become president and chairman of the board. At the height of the Depression, under Weidler’s leadership, that plant created 700 well-paying jobs for Napa residents — at a time when the area’s population was roughly 10,000.
Nissim recalled her father getting up in the middle of the night when the Napa River flooded to go to the Rough Riders factory — even as president, he would grab a bucket to help protect the building and save equipment.
In 1940, Weidler married his first wife, Sylvia Sandler, of San Francisco, and they had two daughters, Jacquelyn and Willa Lea. In 1953, the couple helped found Beth Sholom, Napa’s first synagogue. Through his role there and his work in a plethora of other local organizations, Weidler solidified his reputation as a deeply committed, passionate community leader.
Leadership positions Weidler held, in addition to those at Rough Riders and Beth Sholom, included president of the Napa Chamber of Commerce,
president of the Kiwanis Club, founder of the Napa Valley B’nai B’rith, president of the Queen of the Valley Hospital Foundation, foreman of the Napa County Grand Jury, president of the Napa Valley College Foundation, KVON Citizen of the Year (1976), and president of the Napa Valley Economic Development Corp.
“He was responsible for bringing so many new businesses into Napa Valley,” said daughter Willa Lea Suffin, who traveled from Parsippany, N.J., for the Aug. 28 celebration. “When I used to come visit, the first thing he would want to do is get in the car and show us all the new things that were happening here.”
Among the 150 people attending the party at Congregation Beth Sholom were members of most of the organizations Weidler belonged to or headed, two Napa mayors, assorted county representatives and 20 members of his family.
Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht presented a resolution from the Board of Supervisors naming Weidler the “King of Volunteers,” while Mayor Jill Techel gave him a key to the city.
Weidler’s health was deteriorating in the weeks before the big day, but Michalski said it was clear the event was important to him, and suggested Weidler may have held on just to enjoy everyone’s company.
“It was kind of a last act, bringing the entire community together one last time,” Michalski said. “He was just a mensch, in every sense of the word.”
Throughout the day, Weidler sat with his longtime wife, Pauline (his first wife died in the early ’70s). Nissim said her father clearly felt “extremely honored” that so many people had come.
After the celebration — which included cake, singing and many speeches — Weidler went home to the Meadows, the assisted-living facility where he and Pauline lived. He died in his sleep in the early morning hours.
Thinking back on their father’s legacy, his daughters offered Weidler’s life philosophy, as he often quoted from the 18th century theologian John Wesley:
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
“I think God gave him more days than most of us get,” said Suffin, “just so he could do all this good.”
Julian Weidler is survived by his wife, Pauline; sister Marcia Abend; daughters Jacquelyn Nissim and Willa Lea Suffin; stepdaughters Jill Rae and Linda Baracco; nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Congregation Beth Sholom, Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Napa Valley Community College, Chabad of Napa Valley or another worthy Napa charity.