Obituaries

Steven Harry Schuelein, a long-time resident of Playa Del Rey, California passed away on August 29, 2023 at the age of 77. Steven was born in New York City on February 26, 1946. His parents, Robert Schuelein and Rosa Schuelein (nee Simon), both fled Nazi Germany prior to the outbreak of World War II. The parents left New York City sometime after Steven’s birth and settled in Norwich, New York, where Robert and Sally Well, Husband of Rosa’s sister Fina, took up the cattle business which they had previously worked at in Germany.

Steven attended school in Norwich and from an early age loved sports, especially horse racing, golf and basketball. Growing up, he often visited his close relatives in the Utica, New York area; his aunt Edith Lorig (nee Simon, pictured with Steven), Rosa’s youngest sister and his uncle Sally Lorig, Edith’s spouse; his uncle Leo Simon and his spouse Irene Simon (nee Jacob); Leo and Irene’s children, Judy Mittel (nee Simon), Florence Ziffer (nee Simon), and Morton Simon. Of the five first cousins, Morton Simon and Judy Mittel predeceased Steven. Steven’s parents and aunts/uncles all predeceased him. He was never married, and he has no offspring.

Thanksgiving festivities were always a highlight at the Schuelien’s with Steven’s close relatives and family friends, featuring an abundance of freshly cooked great food. These gatherings continued through Steven’s college years. He attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he received a Batchelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts in 1967 and Syracuse University, where he received a Master of Arts degree in Journalism in 1969. Shortly after graduation, Steven enlisted in the United States Army Reserves and he served through 1975.

Steven worked as a sports journalist, primarily covering horse racing. He moved to Southern California in 1982 and covered races at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and Santa Anita Park. Throughout his life, he often attended sporting events elsewhere, especially at his alma mater in Syracuse, New York, and played golf regularly up until his death. Besides maintaining friendships with the people he got to know at school, the Army, and through sports, Steven also attended Congregation Tikvat Jacob in Manhattan Beach, CA as he always had a close bond with Judaism. Funeral services will be held at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary, 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, 90045 (310) 641-0707 or 800-576-1994) on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 2:00 Pacific Time. For those unable to attend the service, an interactive zoom link starts at 1:45 for the service and thereafter at the gravesite service and burial will be live-streamed (non-interactive). Contact Hillside for the links to the zoom link and Livestream.