Obituary: Seymour (Sy) Commanday

Seymour (Sy) Commanday, age 91 of Atlanta, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., second child of Ukrainian immigrants, passed away on Saturday evening, March 11, 2023, at home.

Though always loyal to his hometown and his alma mater, Brooklyn College, Sy and his first wife, Jacky, and their growing family moved from place to place as he gained more expertise in his career as a color chemist. When Sy retired, he and his second wife, Betty, found community, and smiles in Beaufort, S.C., and Sandy Springs, Ga.

Sy thrived on the inquisitive nature, the give and take, of Judaism. Presented with a difficult legalistic Torah portion for his bar mitzvah, he irreverently chose to wear a green tie to celebrate the simultaneous St. Patrick’s Day holiday. He had many philosophical conversations with students, seekers, and people trying to find community. He taught many younger students and adults about the Jewish faith. With a goal of inclusion, Sy was willing to perform and participate in interfaith life cycle rituals when others were not. He was also willing to pray with anyone of any faith in their time of need as a volunteer hospital chaplain. He was very involved in his community as a Jewish lay leader in his congregation.

Sy is predeceased by his first wife Jacky (Ruditz) Commanday (of breast cancer, in 1983) and his son, Clifford Commanday (from leukemia in 1975). He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Betty Commanday, his children, Melissa Johnson (Robert), Jonathan Commanday (Laura) and Mara Wildes (Scott), and his grandchildren, Valerie Tarr, Alex Commanday (Manasi Tannu), Zachary Commanday (Hannah Behar), Max Commanday, Skylar Wildes, and Anslie Wildes. He also had two stepdaughters, Abby Buck (William) and Laura Muller (Will Snyder) and four step-grandchildren.

Graveside services were held on Wednesday March 15, 2023, at noon at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Spartanburg, S.C. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Sandy Springs, Ga. Arrangements made by Dressler’s Funeral Care in Atlanta, Ga. Memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Chidren’s Research Hospital, or Jewish War Veterans.

comments