Neilan I. Weinstein

Obituary Nick was the best friend a person could ever have. Neilan Irving Weinstein, born July 2, 1941, passed in his sleep at home on October 15, 2010. Nick showered his family and friends with love. In particular he devoted his love to his wife, Lewise. A true romantic, he took pleasure in picking out and presenting just the right piece of jewelry to his wife, (on one anniversary a pair of diamond earrings were placed at the bottom of a cocktail glass). Nick grew up in Portland, Oregon with his brother Denny and his sister Randi. Graduating from the University of Oregon, (he would want Go Ducks! inserted here) he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1963. He met Lewise during his senior year of college, and in 1964 they went to the New York World's Fair to run the largest food concession with his grandfather Louie Lamken. Running concession stands was in his blood - his Grandfather, Louie Lamken, ran concessions at the Puyallup Fair where Nick grew up flipping burgers and selling ice cream. As mentioned in 1988 in The News Tribune, "It's in my blood. I've been working around [The fair] since I was 8 years old". He worked as an employee for his grandfather at the fair, but found himself running 18 concession stands when his grandfather passed away days before the fair opened in 1979. With his wife's help, he stepped up to the plate (and filled it with onion burgers and fries). His daughters, Michelle and Erica, grew up around the Puyallup Fair too. Nothing was more important to him than his daughters, except perhaps his four grandchildren, Noah, Isabel, Ezra, and Nava. He enjoyed being generous with his children and grandchildren. He shared a very close friendship with four friends from elementary school that called themselves the Dolphins. Although they drifted geographically apart, they remain close and speak and see each other frequently. When not at the Puyallup Fair, he owned a variety of restaurants and bars in Tacoma. "Nicky" (as he is affectionately called by his close friends) delved into real estate in 1970, developing commercial properties. He enjoyed traveling to Palm Springs for the winter and Gearhart, Oregon any time of year. Quick with a joke, Nick never lost his sense of humor. He will be missed, but he can breathe easy now. The funeral will be held at the Home of Peace Cemetery located at 5421 Steilacoom Blvd., Lakewood, WA. Graveside services will commence at 3:00p.m. on Sunday, October 17, 2010. Donations may be sent to: Division of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine PO Box 356522 University Hospital Seattle, WA 98195 and/or Temple Beth El 5975 S. 12th St., Tacoma, WA 98465-1998