Stephen M Schuster Jr.

Stephen M. Schuster, Jr. 1943 - 2020 On Friday morning, August 28, 2020 Stephen M. Schuster, Jr., Esq., age 77 of Broadlands, VA, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack in his Lakeside, OH summer home. Steve was born in January of 1943 in New York City to parents Stephen M. Schuster and Ellen Haber Schuster. He is preceded in death by his parents and father- and mother-in-law Richard F. and Judith A. Richards. He is survived by his best friend, partner, and devoted wife of 18 years, Traci Richards Schuster; his loving and adoring daughters and grandchildren, Gretchen Schuster Lord, son-in-law Robert, and their children Michael, Matthew, Benjamin, and Emma of Broadlands, VA, and Hannah Schuster Waltermann, son-in-law Marc, and their children A.J., Olivia, and Grace of Fishers, IN; his sister Susan Barmon Deeton (James) of Hartford, CT; nieces Cathryn Barmon Deutsch (Marc) of New York, NY, and Christina Barmon Vanderberg (Charles) of Hartford, CT; his first wife, and mother to Gretchen and Hannah, Bonnie Seay of Nashville, TN; and his second wife, and step-mother to Gretchen and Hannah, Meredith Kimbell of Reston, VA. From his earliest days, Steve loved sports. He read the sports page of two papers every day beginning in grade school, a tradition that never waned, and was devoted to his favorite New York teams: the Yankees, the Rangers, the Giants, and the Knickerbockers. He often recounted stories of how he would attend sporting events - sometimes two on the same day - or go to the racetrack with his father, grandfather (Joshua Schuster), and uncle (Hilliard ‘Hillie’ Matthews), living many a boy’s dream. It was therefore perfectly natural that during high school he applied for a four-year college scholarship for budding sports writers, the Fred Russell-Grantland Rice Memorial Scholarship at Vanderbilt University. Though he was the runner-up for that scholarship, he still chose to attend Vanderbilt beginning in the fall of 1960. While at Vanderbilt, Steve was sports editor of The Commodore yearbook for two years and was a sportswriter for Vanderbilt’s weekly newspaper all four years. He joined the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (ZBT) and was a fierce competitor in all intramural sports. Gregarious to his core, he formed life-long friendships that brought him back to ZBT reunions, even 50 years after graduation. He graduated in 1964 with a B.A. in Economics. Upon graduation from Vanderbilt, Steve immediately entered law school and matriculated from Georgetown Law with a J.D. in 1967. His first experience as a lawyer was as a law clerk for the Hon. George L. Hart, Jr. in the US District Court in Washington, DC. This led to a position as Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia the following year. Soon after, he went into private practice, working as a partner at Samuelson, Bloomberg, Portnow & Schuster; then later served as the Associate General Counsel for Hospital Affiliates International, Inc.; became a partner in Wood, Lucksinger & Epstein; and was a founding partner of the boutique firm Schuster & King. He was an early leader in the American Health Law Association, serving on its predecessor board of directors at the National Health Lawyers Association. And he was a lecturer at numerous leading national healthcare industry meetings on a variety of topics. As if that wasn’t enough, Steve was an entrepreneur who owned a few businesses along the way, all while continuing to practice law and consult with his growing rolodex of healthcare clients. There was a point in time when asked what he did for a living, he’d muse that he “delivered newspapers, baked cookies, and made babies” because, at one time, he simultaneously was involved with National News Agency, Larry’s Cookies in DC, Baltimore, and other parts of Maryland, and an IVF business. Steve was also involved in a successful team-building and organizational development and management company and a physician credentialing company. At the time of his death, he was serving as the CEO and General Counsel of an anesthesia management company. That’s just his resume though. He was a devoted, loyal, and supportive husband and father. Known as Ace by many, most notably his grandchildren, he was proud of his daughters and sons-in-law and their accomplishments. He also delighted in the achievements of his nieces. He took immense pride in each of his seven grandchildren, being ever-present in their lives and coaching them, as he did so many others, in whatever their interests were, whether it be baseball, basketball, golf, theater, choir, swimming, or softball. He imparted his wisdom to each one and took a special interest in their educations, encouraging them to become the individuals they are, and were meant to be. What many will remember were his love of the New York Yankees and baseball anywhere; his “up to something” grin and wicked sense of humor; his terrific and oft-embellished storytelling; his ready support for friends and colleagues; and his early advocacy for women and women-led businesses through his partnerships. He and Traci played golf together and most recently took up pickleball. He had a lifelong passion for playing tennis, playing with the same group of friends three days per week for more than 35 years. It was with this group of men that he was able to solve all of the world’s problems and participate in a friendly banter and an exchange of ideas. He was a lifelong learner and avid reader. He loved to travel. He and Traci looked forward to visiting NYC every year to see Broadway and catch a NY Rangers game or NY Yankees game (or both depending on the time of year) when there. He was a dowser of water and other energy sources. If ever one was lost and he had visited there, he could tell you exactly how to find your way. This was true even if you were in another country - you could call him, and he’d help you navigate your way. He delighted in being a maverick. And to his core, a key tenet was always to “help the other fellow” in any way he could, a lesson instilled in him in his youth at Keewaydin. Keewaydin is what most shaped his life, and most influenced him as he became a man. Located in Salisbury, VT, Keewaydin is the place Steve spent 14 summers paddling in canoes throughout the Adirondacks, New England, and parts of Canada first as a camper and later as a counselor. The stories he told, and that are told about him, are the stuff of legends and too numerous to recount here. But his love for the out of doors, freshwater lakes, and the Northwest Wind were inspired by his time spent with his boyhood friends in the mountains and lakes of the Northeast. When asked recently what he was most proud of, he responded, “Besides my family, it’s that I have no regrets. There have been lots of ups and downs along the way, but I can’t ever think how I would have changed things. Maybe that’s ignorance or stupidity but as my father once advised ‘that bat is over, the next one is all that counts.’ Of course, hopefully I gathered a little intelligence at each at bat to use for the next one. That is for others to judge.” This lesson was imparted on all whose lives he touched, whether family, friends, or colleagues, and is why he was adept at cutting through the noise and able to do the things that mattered to him. He ended his statement by saying, “The last real at bat I had was against Whitey Ford at the Mantle/Ford Fantasy Baseball Camp and I learned nothing other than that my hands were curve ball targets.” It was his lifelong desire to be laid to rest at his beloved Keewaydin, which he held so near and dear to his heart. Services will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 11:00 am at Keewaydin Dunmore with a scattering of his ashes to follow immediately after. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made in Steve’s name to Keewaydin Foundation at 500 Rustic Lane, Salisbury, VT 05769. Your gift will be directed into the Fullerton Director’s Fund, an endowment created by Steve and Traci (and a couple other close friends and Keewaydin alumni) for the purposes of providing alumni staff training and development at Keewaydin Dumore. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.neideckercrosserpriesman.com . A cherished husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, Ace told us he loved us often, and demonstrated his love in too many ways to count. We will miss him dearly while we strive to honor him in the way we live our lives.