Obituary for Sanford “Ski” Barshafsky SANFORD “SKI” BARSHAFSKY Hephzibah, GA – Entered into rest Wednesday, September 12, 2018, Mr. Sanford “Ski” Barshafsky, 78. Sanford Jules Barshafsky, soldier, veteran, collector, curmudgeon, and beloved patriarch of his clan, died of metastatic colon cancer on September 12, 2018. Sanford – known by his New Jersey family as Sandy and to the rest of the world as Ski – was born April 6, 1940 in Neptune, NJ, to parents David Barshafsky and Muriel Tausek.
In lieu of joining his father’s appliance business after graduating from high school, young Sandy set out for Fort Dix with $3 in his pocket to enlist in the United States Army. The Army was not simply Ski’s job; it was his calling and his lifelong passion. He joined in 1958 and retired in 1982 and in those 24 years he covered a lot of ground in service to his nation with duty stations in New Jersey, Washington, Kansas, Korea (two tours), Germany (three tours), and finally Georgia.
He was stationed on the demilitarized zone during the Korean DMZ Conflict in the late 1960s. From Private to Platoon Daddy, Ski was the consummate soldier’s soldier – squared away, spit shined, and ready for action 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior. After Ski retired from the military, he spent ten years in the Civil Service as a subject matter expert on the armed forces’ Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) and also worked as a training developer for the Georgia Quick Start program.
Ski loved antiques and turned that passion into a small business – buying and reselling fine porcelain, pottery, jewelry, lighting, coins, and furniture, most recently at Trends and Traditions on Washington Road. His children joke that you could have built a drinking game around his frequent use of the term “barley twist” when describing one of his favorite styles of furniture. Ski (aka “The Lamp Man”) also owned Lighthouse Lamps and Shades, repairing lamps and chandeliers that brighten homes all over Augusta.
One of his last jobs was restoring the chandelier that hangs in the foyer of Twin Gables, the historic home that served as the presidential residence for Augusta University for many decades. Ski met and married his beloved wife of 56 years, Renate, while stationed in Germany in the early 1960s. She lovingly cared for him at home so that he could spend his last days with her and surrounded by the items they collected over their many years together.
In addition to Renate, Ski is survived by oldest daughter: Beverly Peltier and her family (Mark and David); youngest daughter: Deb Barshafsky and her family (Marian, Liza, and Dori); and his New Jersey relatives, sister: Patty Apel and his nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister: Diane Schneider, also of New Jersey. Memorial services will be Monday, September 17, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. in the chapel of Thomas Poteet & Son with Chaplain Steve Russ officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus, Georgia 31903. Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd. , Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484.
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