David Harris Dickstein, of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, died at his home on Saturday surrounded by loved ones. He and his wife, the former Gail Jacobson, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 28.
Born in Scranton, he was the son of Doris (Dorrie) Ball Dickstein, Scranton, and the late Stanley N. Dickstein.
He is also survived by his sons Eric (Lauren) and Marc (Mark); sisters, Susan Pollan (Stuart) and Karen Weinman (Robert); granddaughter, Lola; mother-in-law, Claire Jacobson; and brother-in-law, Jeffrey Jacobson (Robin). In addition, beloved nieces, nephews and cousins survive.
David and Gail were high school sweethearts and were married for 49 years. Their love and devotion to each other was evident to everyone who knew them. They shared a passion for travel and explored destinations around the world with close friends and family.
David has been an extraordinarily proud and supportive father to Eric and Marc. He didn’t let anything get in the way of his presence in her life. He coached their soccer teams, attended their piano recitals, and spent quality time fishing and boating with them on Lake Winola. Stories of new experiences, insights and successes shared over countless delicious meals always brought a smile to his face. David loved, supported and encouraged his sons as they made their own way as children and now as adults, husbands and fathers.
David was happy to become Lola’s grandfather in March 2020. He appreciated the simple pleasures of playing with the zipper on his sweater and playfully stealing food from her plate. With the help of David’s family and friends, she will no doubt understand how lucky she was to have him in her life, albeit for too little a time.
David attended Central High School where he was an honors student. During his high school days, David was involved with JCY and JCC and enjoyed playing guitar in a band. He attended Lehigh University, where he majored in industrial engineering and was president of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. After graduating from Lehigh, he joined the sales team at the Jacobson Hat Company, a business founded in lower Manhattan in the 1930s by Gail’s grandfather and great-uncles Walter and Harry Jacobson.
David worked at the Jacobson Hat Company for 50 years (1971-2021). His experience spanned all departments and he eventually became a partner and owner managing manufacturing and importing. He loved and dedicated his career and was always grateful for the opportunity to work with his family and many wonderful colleagues over the years, most notably his brother-in-law Jeffrey Jacobson and father-in-law Howard Jacobson.
A particular passion of David was his annual business trip to Asia to visit the company’s supplier partners. He and Gail traveled together on this journey over the course of three decades, continuing the tradition that his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Claire and Howard Jacobson, began in the 1970s. David loved cultivating relationships with foreign business partners and befriended many of them and their families.
In addition to his work at JHats, David served on the Board of Directors of Tuscan Holdings Corporation. He was an accomplished investor and enjoyed following the global markets. He was an active member of the 900 Club, a local investment club where he had the honor of serving multiple terms as president.
David was passionate about giving back to his community and has served on the boards of numerous local organizations including the Jewish Community Center, Temple Hesed, Elan Gardens, the Jewish Home of Scranton, the Jewish Foundation of the Elderly, the Red Cross of Scranton, Glen Oak Country Club and Wave Oak. He also served multiple terms as President of the JCC and Elan Gardens. He was honored by the JCC in 2005 as “Man of the Year” in recognition of his services to the community.
David had many close friends who he also considered family. He and Gail enjoyed traveling with them on adventures to Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Iceland, the Virgin Islands and more. David loved golf and developed many close friendships with golf partners over the years. He loved going out with friends. He and Gail were often the first on the dance floor and the last off!
David spent summers at his grandparents’ cottage on Lake Winola. As a child, he loved water skiing and relaxing in the lake with Gail and her friends. As their family grew, David could often be found fishing with his nieces and nephews or kayaking with Gail. He was happy to participate in canoe club activities with new and old friends. David passed his love of Lake Winola on to his sons and their spouses, who will carry the memory of David with every lake sunset and boat trip for decades to come.
The family would like to thank the many doctors, nurses, helpers and caregivers who helped David throughout his illness.
Funeral services will be conducted by Rabbi Daniel Swartz at Temple Hesed, 1 Knox Drive, Scranton, Tuesday, January 18, at 1:30 p.m. The family will receive friends in the Temple Hesed from noon until the service. Masks and vaccinations are compulsory for participation. The service will also be available for virtual attendance at www.bit.ly/DavidDickstein. Burial will take place in Temple Hesed Cemetery, Dunmore.
The family will meet Shiva Wednesday and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 601 Jefferson Ave. watch at Scranton. Masks and vaccinations are required to participate.
David was loved by many and will surely be missed. Donations can be made in David’s honor to the Jewish Community Center of Scranton, the Visiting Nurses Association of Lackawanna County, or the NEPA Youth Shelter.
Posted by Savino Traditional Funerals & Cremation Care on January 17, 2022.
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