Richard S Schulist

Richard “Dick” Schulist was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Hettie and Bernard Schulist and grew up alongside his older brother, Ellis “Spike” Schulist. He attended Shaker High School and Washington and Lee University, where he studied Economics, and later earned an MBA in Economics and Finance from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He served in the Army and went on to build a long career in banking as a loan specialist. Dick kept a wide circle of friends, which included the Suburban Ski Club in Cleveland, and the San Francisco MAX Social Club in San Francisco. He played ragtime style piano entirely by ear, and he was known for amazing his friends and family with his stride piano renditions of “San Francisco” and other classic tunes.

In the early 1970s he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, becoming the first member of the Schulist family to make the Bay Area his home. His brother followed soon after, drawn in part by the closeness the two shared. Dick quickly settled into the rhythm of city life. Over the decades he worked for Barclays and Liberty National Banks and taught evening economics classes at Heald College and the University of Phoenix. Teaching gave him no shortage of stories, which he told with a deadpan humor about students who sometimes needed, as he put it, “help staying awake and remembering there was homework.”

Dick lived a life that was private, intentional, and shaped by quiet routines. He stayed remarkably fit, walking miles across the city from Noe Valley to the Ferry Building, whose tower clock he affectionately called his “living room clock.” He ate simply and healthfully long before it became fashionable, with a steady rotation of salmon, broccoli, and quinoa fueling his long city walks.

He also had a soft spot for animals and an evolving fascination that began with owls and eventually turned into a full-blown love for ducks. It was a quirk he embraced with charming sincerity. His brother nicknamed him “Duckworth,” a name he wore proudly. Ducks seemed to love him right back, often eating straight from his hand. His apartment reflected this affection, filled with ducks in every form imaginable, from carved wood to brass to ceramic to rubber, each one a small reminder of what delighted him. The view of the Bay Bridge was the backdrop to his entire San Francisco life.

Dick traveled widely, visiting Japan, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Peru, much of Europe, and countless cities across the United States. He preferred genuine experiences over showy ones and enjoyed learning how people lived in different parts of the world.

He appreciated a well-made drink, starting with a crisp gin martini and later developing a fond devotion to bourbon. In his later years he often started the day with a full reading of the Wall Street Journal, and he ended the day with a quiet cocktail and a phone call with a close friend, valuing routine and connection in equal measure.

To his niece and nephew, he was a steady, generous presence, inspiring his nephew with his piano prowess, offering financial advice, sharing his politics with passionate humor, support in

thoughtful ways and never seeking attention for it. His consistency, kindness, and gentle humor became the foundation of many family memories.

Richard Schulist will be remembered with love for his wit, his curiosity, his disciplined approach to life, his evening cocktail, his piano improvisations, and the playful flock of duck decor that brought him joy. More than anything, he will be remembered for the quiet steadiness and warmth he gave so freely to the people who loved him.

For those who wish to honor Dick’s memory, donations to the San Francisco SPCA or the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank would reflect the values he supported throughout his life.