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Marv Staiman used the U.S. Postal Service like people nowadays use email to send congratulatory notes to friends who won awards or in some way distinguished themselves, if even in a very small way.
He was known to ring up on the telephone the many friends for the same purpose or just to wish them a Happy Birthday or acknowledge a wedding anniversary.
There is no telling how many of these letters he wrote or phone calls he made over his long life.
Staiman passed away at age 93, but he and his late wife, Jean, touched countless lives along the way.
Marvin Harold Staiman took time out of his own very busy and productive life to make people smile, laugh and feel special.
For years he owned and operated Staiman Brothers Recycling in
Williamsport, carrying on a family business that grew and flourished under his leadership.
Well into what would otherwise be considered his retirement years, he drove from his Grampian Boulevard home to the office at the foot of Hepburn Street in downtown Williamsport.
His contributions to his community are far too numerous to list in this tribute.
Those gifts he and Jean gave reflected the importance and passion they felt to give back.
"Marv set a great example of what to do in your community," Barry Rake said. "I think he was a great example of how we should all act, just the way to conduct our lives."
Rake recalled serving with Staiman on local charitable organizations, including the United Way.
He felt he learned from Staiman's input and counsel.
"He was always willing to talk to you," he said.
Rake counted himself among the many people who received letters from Staiman over the years.
"Anytime he would see a positive article in the paper about you, he would send it to you," he said. "I learned to do that from Marv."
Carol Sides said it was just amazing that he took time for such acts.
"Who does that?" she said.
And yet, the congratulatory letters, the notes were something that were almost expected from him, she added.
Sides called Staiman, "a gentleman" who will be missed forever.
"He was a very gracious man," she said.
Russell Reitz and his wife Marie counted themselves as friends of Marv and his late wife, Jean, who passed away in 2020.
The couples sometimes enjoyed dinners together.
"He was a wonderful contributor to the community," Reitz said. "He will be sorely missed."
Rake noted that Marv and Jean, who were married for more than 70 years, were both community-oriented people and complemented each other.
Phil Preziosi became emotional talking about Staiman.
"My wife told me today we lost a very dear friend," he said. "After Jean died, I knew that Marv was going to be completely lost."
He referred to Staiman as "a community servant."
"Marvin and Jean," added Bob Rolley, publisher of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, "cared deeply about people and our communities. They invested their time, effort and money into both, working to make sure that others were recognized and benefited. And they were great, long-term friends of the newspaper. We have lost two very special people whose impacts will be felt for a long, long time. Our hearts go out to their family. They will be missed."
Marv and Jean annually co-hosted the Israel Bond dinner in Williamsport, an event to help raise dollars for Israel.
Many people, including friends of the Staimans turned out for the dinners held each spring at the Center for Community Arts.
Dr. Dan Glunk, a family physician in Williamsport, recalled Staiman as "a keen intellect and wit."
"It was his faith, however, that was central to his life," he said. "Faith not as an abstraction, but faith that informed a life of action. He was always looking beyond himself, spending his life making our community better. His civic involvement was a model and challenged others to become similarly engaged. I know I am a better person because of Marvin's leadership and friendship. May his memory be a blessing."
Williamsport attorney Michael Wiley said Staiman was truly dedicated to his family, his faith and the community.
"He and his wife Jean gave of themselves to countless organizations and causes and it is the end of an era with his passing," he said. "Countless of us received his notes and cards over the years and his friendship and support will be truly missed."
Steve Johnson, president UPMC Susquehanna, noted the long affiliation Staiman and his family had with health care in the area.
Marv had served on the Divine Providence Hospital Board of Directors and was honored for outstanding service.
"Marv was one of those people who made sure his actions preceded his talk. For example, during these many years Marv and Jean were inspirational philanthropists, personally supporting two major capital campaigns for Divine Providence Hospital and two major campaigns for The Williamsport Hospital and encouraging many others to do the same," Johnson said. "In 1994, he was a leading supporter of the alliance between the Divine Providence Hospital and the Williamsport Hospital & Medical Center which created Susquehanna Health. He went on to serve 17 more years on Susquehanna's Foundation Board of Directors and the combined hospitals quality care and safety committee where he made numerous practical suggestions to improve facility safety and the patient experience. As a trustee, he was always thinking, always encouraging, and always persuading."
Johnson noted that during the decade after his retirement from active board service, Marv continued as an active emeritus director.
"For nearly two decades he sent me two large business envelopes per week of healthcare related articles he had cut from the dozens of newspapers and magazines he read routinely. On a personal note, he also never missed a birthday or holiday card for both my wife and me. Most importantly, he never stopped supporting and encouraging the people and causes he loved. He was a man who shared his joy for living and taught others that appreciating happiness is a choice; success requires service; and actions speak louder than words. We will miss him."
James Campbell, who served as president of Hope Enterprises for 17 years, recalled Staiman's dedication to the organization as a board member.
He truly cared about all the people. That went even further with people with disabilities," he said.
Staiman, he said, served as board chairman and was invaluable in many ways, going the extra step to help get things done.
"He never missed a meeting," he said.
Staiman's primary purpose, Campbell said, was to put others before himself.
"I had known him always to be a very honest and forthright person," he said.
Campbell also recalled Staiman's sense of humor and his propensity for sending out mailings.
Added Rake: "He will be missed and remembered as a great individual."