Random memories of David Simon Weiss

Random Memories of David Simon Weiss

Taken about 1952 while working for Filter-Queen in Portland, Oregon.

We were sitting in the yellow GMC motorhome at our 1998 Weiss Family Reunion in Rocky Mountain National Park and we got Grandpa David S. Weiss to talk. 

Below are the notes taken by Cyndy Weiss from that interview on July 25, 1998.
(Sorry these photos are of such poor quality.  I will scan the originals correctly one day when I get an updated scanner.) 

Beacon Rock State Park hike during Reunion 1996.  Ben, Jon, Sam, Will, and Joe Weiss with Grandpa David Weiss and his dogs.

What were the values you tried to instill in us as kids:

Honesty with self

Integrity

Commitment

Love

Forgiveness

When my father died, he was philosophizing and he said: 

In order to gain a friend you have to be one first.   Simon Weiss

He also said:  You don’t have to tell your customer about your competition.  Don’t badmouth (your competition).  It won’t be news to him.   Simon Weiss

What does integrity mean to you?

You are in a position to be counted on.  What you said you would do, you will.

What does commitment mean to you?

To join or be a part of something (for example:  a team, a marriage, or a business) you must honor that decision to yourself and persevere until the goal is achieved.

Sweet Grandpa David Weiss and Child and ???

What does love mean to you?

Love is the foundation of life and success—love of self and fellowman.  It is the primary elixir.  The catalyst of life.

Love goes hand in hand with forgiveness.  “What goes around, comes around.”

I believe in the saying ”Smile and the whole world smiles with you” .  Smiling is an acknowledgement of love.  Just with your eyes you can create a relationship.  (Smiling) is like the different between vinegar and honey.

What does Individual Worth mean to you?

People have to be themselves.

People must gather facts so they can make a decision on their own.  It is the parent’s responsibility to help children get the facts…to help them have opportunities for fact gathering. 

Pages 4-7 of my notes talk about the history of David’s work experience and building the David S. Weiss Company.  Mark Weiss has a history that he wrote up that should go here.

Tell us about your extended family:

Christmas is a time to share love-a time of giving.

At Chase Park in Centerville, Utah, we ate all day.

Isaac Chase had 100 acre parcel.  George Ogden Chase, Isaac’s son, settled Centerville.  There were red colored stones that said “Chase Park”  George Ogden Chase was in Centerville, while Isaac Chase was on Main or State Street in Salt Lake City, UT.

Getting the Malibu preflighted.  David Weiss in background.  February 1993.

The Farmhouse (in Centerville, UT) was Frank Leslie Chase’s—where Claire Chase Weiss was born.  Aunt Kate and Aunt El were sisters of Frank Leslie.

Uncle Mac was dressed as Santa Clause and I believed in Santa Clause until I was 6 or 7 when I recognized Uncle Mac.

My father, Simon Weiss was raised by Anna Wahrhaftig Weiss in Salt Lake City.  His father, Max Weiss, was in Roosevelt and Vernal Utah.

They (Weiss family) were supportive of Christmas.  It never pleased the parents when Simon (Jew faith) and Claire (Mormon faith) were first married.  There was no “inheritance” but they were “accepted” by the Weiss family.

David Weiss rigging Kings X in 1990.

I remember going camping with friends and visiting a gold mine in California.  Mac (McGhie) worked for his brother-in-law, Uncle Frank.  We had a nice summer vacation of one week.

From ages of 12-18 (maybe this was 17-18?),  I worked at Si’s Curve In on 9^th No. and Main Street at the North End of Bountiful and Main Street.  You turned right and then back to the left.

We served home cooking, fried foods, Dairy Queen type product and had a malt machine.

We bought it (Si’s Curve In) in May when I was a Junior in High School.  I would ride the bus to Bountiful to go to work there.  I was part of that business when I was 17-18, my Jr. and Sr. years of High School.  I attended East High my Freshman and Sophomore years and then Davis High my Jr./Sr. years.  Graduated from Davis in “1948”.

We put some neon signs up.   Had a good lunch trade with local workers.  Also served breakfast and sold some groceries.

I remember cleaning off the old Packard (Note:  The 1941 Packard was his father’s  car and the one Dave learned to drive in.)  We would drive in rutted roads and have to wash the mud off of the the ruts in the wheels.

It was by the old Bountiful Junior High.  When school let out the kids would fill it-wall to tall.  They bought candy: One or pieces for 5 cents.

We were open 8 a.m. till Midnight.  On the week days I worked at a dry cleaning place from 6:30-12 midnight.  On Saturdays and Sundays I would open up the Curve In while Max went to Church.

I met Marilyn on a blind date.

Social acceptance was difficult (for David?)

Centerville was “apart” from the farmers.  They would even take a week off to pick the beets. 

Our role models (were family members).

We mowed lawns, but couldn’t make our beds as we had a maid and we were responsible for amusing ourselves.   There were wings off of 5^th East.   We did car and airplane rides at Liberty Park.  It cost 25 cents for a row boat ride.  We ate cheese its, (sunflower?) seeds, peel and eat them. 

We lived through the 1930’s and never wanted for anything.

WWII ended in 1945.  I worked for 2 summers at Lagoon.  (serving Root Beer?)  I was on the clean up gang made 50 cents and hour.  Later 75 cents an hour.

 I saved $200 and got a loan from dad for $200 and bought a 1934 Ford for $400.  A Five Window Coupe.

Sold that car and drove the 1941 Packard (was his father’s, Simon Weiss’ car).

Then bought a 1949 Nash and in 1951 took a trip to New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona (selling??)

Then in 1950 and the Korean War I went into the Navy Reserves—influenced by my cousin Everett McGhie.

In 1952 I moved to Oregon.  Has deferment and was inactive  in reserves.  So had 4 + 2 + 1 year extension, so 7 years total.  Was trained in San Francisco.  Went on cruises.  I was good looking in my uniform.

I was (or was this Max?) baptized for the dead 48 times.

Max was active in the LDS Church until his 2^nd year at Yale.  It was not a beneficial change in his life.

Working on a computer in December 1987.

I spent a lifetime in sales.   Professional sales world is the greatest career in the world.  My friends were “Mountain Movers”.

Marilyn worked at the telephone company and we had ice cream on State Street.  I picked her up at 1 a.m. and had 2 dates in 2 days.  I was impacted by “a phenomenon”.  On my way to the 3^rd date I was visited by a force that said, “This is the one”.   I was age 20.  Met Marilyn in September.  While on a date in October (it was her Birthday on October 17) we went to Hotel Utah and I slid my ring off and onto her engagement finger.   We were married on January 12^th.  I can remember it as clear as looking out of this windshield and seeing the trees and the mountains. 

We were married in the Lion House.  Spent our Hawaii money.  Had no help from our family.   Grandpa (Pieter Carl Ballegooie) said, “You’ve made this choice and I don’t want to hear anything about it if it doesn’t work out.”  I had a special relationship with (Carl Ballegooie).

Christmas 1998 at Weiss Home in Portland, OR.  Grandpa surrounded by Jon, Jenn, and Deborah Weiss

Went hiking with William (Weiss at Beacon Rock in 1996?) and had some water and licorice at the top.  William asked, “Grandpa, can I have some more water and some of those black things?”

Working at Lagoon was OK.   Played at the Fun House.  We had air valves and as girls walked by we made their skirts fly.  We would turn on a power switch and …say things in the microphones.   Also did Dodge ‘Em (cars?) and Barrels.

I was a cherry picker.  At the age of 16 I worked for a Mr. Ford who had a grain field.  At the end of the combine were sacks but there were holes in the sacks.  I worked a full day. (David said something about not being paid and about telling him to keep his money…) I decided then:  “I’m never going to be in a place where I have to use my body more than my head.” 

I started smoking at age 16.  Smoked for 40 years.  At age 56 (1988) I quit.

Time to eat!   April 1979.

My cousin Everett (McGhie?) was 2-3 years older.  We lived between Browning and Roosevelt at 1433 13^th East when I was 11 or 12.   Quinn Eldridge was about 3 miles away on 7^th East and 27^th South.   Quinn came to visit out at Fairmont Park.  There was a store by the fish hatchery.  He didn’t have bus fare back.  We took two nickels and played pinball and won bus fare back to 27^th So.

Was baptized when I was 13 and Max was 8 or 9.

Was ordained a deacon and a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood (Max or David?)

I wore short pants until I was 8.

My first hair cut was at 5.  Max got his hair cut too.

Simon Chase (David's father) was in the US Army during WW1.

He broke down his feet on a forced march during his training.  He was on paid disability his whole life. 

I was active in the BSA troop in SLC but there was a difference between the troop in Centerville and that in SLC.  School was no challenge in Centerville.

--That was the end of the notes from our visit on July 25, 1998--

Tickling Allison Weiss.  March 1978.

I will likely have to edit some of this as I gather more information, but I thought I would share with you what notes I had.  Please share with me any other stories Dave told you and I will add them to this post.  If you have scanned photos that I might include, please send them to cyndyweiss@gmail.com.

Beacon Rock State Park hike during Reunion 1996.  Ben, Jon, Sam, Will, and Joe Weiss with Grandpa David Weiss and his beloved dogs.

B.   1930 in Salt Lake City, second child of Simon and Clairissa Chase Weiss

M.   12 Jan 1951 at age 20 to Marilyn Ballegooie in Salt Lake City, UT

D.    At age 72 on 3-23-03 in Seal Rock, Oregon

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Details about the family life of David S. Weiss are found in the Personal History written by David's younger brother, Max Leslie Weiss, published in 2013.   Here are two excerpts from Chapter 2:  The Weiss/Chase Family...All of me and half of you:

Pages 33-34:  One very memorable trip:  David drove Gordon (McGhie) and me to Yellowstone in his early model coupe.  When David smoked a cigarette in the car as we entered the park, I self-righteously yanked it out of his mouth and tossed it out the window to his fury.  At night we just pulled onto the side of the road and David slept in the car while Gordon and I slept on the ground (freezing).  We awoke to find ourselves in the field next to the Three Sisters hot springs and built a fire to make breakfast.  Soon a ranger was attracted to the smoke and kindly asked in no uncertain terms that we douse the fire and leave--such naivete was common in that time (the 1940's).  Sometimes we would to to SLC on the local train service between SLC and Ogden--the "Bamberger."  We shared the same high school, same church, same Boy Scout troop, and on and on.  

Page 40:  David was a mechanical genius.  He made a go-cart from scratch, powered by an old washing machine motor; he made crystal set radios from scratch which picked up signals from local stations; he had his own developing studio with the walk-in cedar closet being the dark room where he developed negatives he had taken (probably with his own pin-hold camera); etc, etc, etc.  As an adult, when he had a business making corrugated plastic panels, he built an automatic assembly where the raw materials needed were put in one end and the finished panel came out of the oven at the other end!  After high school (David High, 1948) he married a very pretty Salt Lake girl, Marilyn Ballegooie.