Samuel Ellis Jaffe, age 77, of Schenectady, NY, died surrounded by love on Thursday (March 21, 2013) at Hebrew Home and Hospital in West Hartford. Sam was born in Schenectady, NY and was a Schenectady man his whole life. As a young man, he was a fixture at Auto Radio Repair on State Street with his brother and father. He was called up to active service from the Schenectady Air National Guard. He later owned numerous rental properties in the Schenectady including the Lorelei Arms Hotel on State Street. He also managed the Schenectady 40 Project. He loved traveling with his beloved late wife Laurie, meeting his ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) friends at Popeye’s on Tuesday, having dinners with friends and being with his seven grandchildren. His passion was antique cars, his own 1936 Dodge and 1964 Chrysler convertible and the collection of 50+ vintage cars he acquired and managed for the Gerald Sichel Trust in a Schenectady warehouse. When Jonathan’s Dream, built in memory of his grandson Jonathan, was built by hundreds of volunteers in 1996, Sam, with Laurie by his side, managed the hundreds of tools needed for the community build. Sam is survived by his daughters Susan Taylor of Millburn, NJ and Amy Jaffe-Barzach of West Hartford, CT; his son-in-laws Kevin Taylor and Peter Barzach; the grandchildren he loved so much: Daniel, Alyssa, Michael, and Jonathan Barzach and Matthew, Stephanie, and Meghan Taylor; and his nieces and nephews David Jaffe, Lynn Hold, and Robby Fisch. Sam’s family would like to thank everyone at Hebrew Health Care (HHC) and HHC Hospice for their excellent and compassionate care. Funeral services are being held at Agudat Achim Synagogue in Schenectady, NY on Sunday, March 24. Those wishing to remember Samuel may make a contribution to Jonathan’s Dream Playground, c/o The Mandell JCC, 335 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford 06117, the American Heart Association or Hebrew Health Care. Family and friends will gather at Agudat Achim following the interment. For further information, directions or to share memories and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.weinsteinmortuary.com.