Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Siegmund I. Goldman, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend to many, died peacefully in his Maitland home on Sept. 5, 2013, after a long illness. He was 89 years old. Mr. Goldman was the soul of integrity and will be remembered by all as a man of honor and kindness. Goldman was born on Nov. 14, 1924, he lost his father at the age of 7. He attended Texas A&M until he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He became a navigator, achieving the rank of captain, and flew his 32 missions from England over Germany during the height of World War II. He returned to civilian life before he reached his 21st birthday. Returning to Texas A&M he earned a BS degree in mechanical engineering. After graduation he was employed as an engineer, eventually taking a job in the HVAC industry. He married Marilyn Sondock in Houston in 1949. Having remained in what had become the U.S. Air Force Reserve, he was recalled to service during the Korean War. Assigned to Ellington Field, he was a navigation instructor. Sig and Marilyn had a son and daughter.

In 1956, he moved his young family to Orlando when he was appointed project manager of HVAC for the construction of the Tech Laboratory at Patrick AFB, one of the first large construction projects for what was soon to become the U.S. space program. At the end of that project he founded his own mechanical contracting firm, S. I. Goldman Company. The company performed work at the Cape, in Orlando and at Walt Disney World and Sea World theme parks. They installed the mechanical portion of numerous industrial facilities, high-rise office buildings and hospitals in Orlando and throughout Florida and the southeastern United States.

In 1998, shortly after completing work on the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, S. I. Goldman Company was acquired by Comfort Systems, of Houston, Texas. During his career, Mr. Goldman was active in various organizations in his industry. He was a member of the Congregation of Reform Judaism for 57 years. Being civic minded and philanthropic, he and Marilyn supported numerous humanitarian, educational and artistic organizations. They traveled frequently, and often flew in Goldman’s single engine airplane to North Carolina, the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and California.

Mr. Goldman was a devoted family man, a loving husband and father. He is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 64 years; his son Steve of Winter Park and Mill Valley, Calif.; his daughter Julie and son-in-law Richard Klein of Los Angeles, Calif.; a grandson and granddaughter; his step-brother Lester Rosen of Houston, Texas; five nieces and nephews and numerous friends. Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 9 at the Congregation of Reform Judaism, with Rabbi Steven Engel, nephew Rabbi Brian Nevins-Goldman and Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer officiating. Burial services took place immediately afterward at Palm Cemetery, Winter Park. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the Congregation of Reform Judaism, the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida in Maitland or The Parkinson Research Foundation, 6530 Metrowest Blvd, #606, Orlando, FL 32835.

Funeral services were entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, Orlando, Fla.