Samuel Dattel, 88, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2015, after a long illness.  In 1981, Mr. Dattel, along with Lawrence Schlager, Jerry Frankel, Ray DeLeo, and Merritt Meyer, founded AUSPL.  The founders recruited 25 postal lessors to join the new postal association.  From this small group of postal landlords, AUSPL has grown to represent more than 3,100 members who collectively own 9,500 postal buildings nationwide.  Sam Dattel served as the Association’s president from 1994 to 1997.

AUSPL’s founders did not only own postal buildings; they also built post offices.  As a real estate developer, Sam Dattel also built houses, apartment complexes, subdivisions, retail centers and high-rises throughout Shelby County, in his home state of Tennessee.  He was an advocate of high-density housing for urban living.  In 1966, he pioneered downtown residential high-rise development with the 25-story Tower Apartments on N. Main Street.  His Embassy Apartments in East Memphis serve as an example of his vision.

“Mr. Dattel was a wonderful person to be around.  I enjoyed his camaraderie and wisdom at our meetings.  He had such a great insight into working with the Postal Service, and he instilled a sense of respect and purpose in the AUSPL Board.  He always made it a point to ask about family and how you were doing.  He was a true mentor, in my book,” AUSPL President Morgan Wolaver said.

Sam, a Memphis native, graduated from Central High School.  He attended the University of Tennessee before serving in the military in Korea.  Sam received a law degree from the UT Law School and practiced law before becoming a real estate developer.

Sam Dattel was an inspiration to the AUSPL Board of Directors, his family, friends and AUSPL members.  AUSPL Board Member and Association Secretary Lana Ruch has worked for Dattel Realty since 1991.  “Many people often asked me why I called him ‘Mr. Dattel’ instead of Sam or Sonny as so many did!  I just couldn’t!  He will always be Mr. Dattel or Mr. ‘D’ to me because he commanded the respect.  He often said I reminded him of his third grade teacher . . . but he was the teacher.  I am profoundly grateful for his wisdom and his generosity to me and my family.  He made us feel like part of his family, too!”

Fellow Board Member and Association Treasurer Dawn Bowman also expressed sadness at Mr. Dattel’s passing.  “There are really no words to express how much he meant to me personally, and to all who had the good fortune to know him.  Sam was a man of strength and wisdom who was always happy to share his knowledge.  His sense of humor and the twinkle in his eye as he told of his work, family and adventures was such a joy.  I am a better person for having known him.”

Mr. Dattel was a member of Temple Israel and Baron Hirsch Congregation.  He always enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren, especially during the religious holidays.  He loved dogs, football and traveling.  In addition to extensive travel within the United States, Sam and his wife Rosemarie visited most of the major European cities, as well as China, Tahiti, Istanbul, Israel, Iceland, Mexico and the Panama Canal.  He also went to Riga, Latvia where he researched family members who had died in the Holocaust.

Sam Dattel is survived by his wife Rosemarie, his sons Eddie, Andy and Mark, his daughters Brenda, Lisa and Audrey and their families, including eleven grandchildren and a great granddaughter.  Sam Dattel’s funeral was held Wednesday, September 16, 2015, in Memphis, TN.