A Legacy of a Valleyite, Who Always Did the Right Thing

There is a Yiddish Slang word for someone who acts decently during his life and he is called a "Mensch." A man who acts in kind with religious principals is called a "Tzedek," or a righteous man. 

Such an individual passed away on the last day of 5771 to the detriment of our valley community and to his family and this writer.  I met Burt Sperber in 1971 and when my father died in 1972, Burt became a mentor to me.  Burt took a shovel and an old truck in 1949 and with hard work, determination, and a life long partnership with his wife, Charlene, created Valley Crest Landscape. 

Burt did more than build a company as one of the best in his industry, he created a company in his image.  Burt has always been someone who has cared about his employees and custom designed employee benefit packages in 2 languages well before it was in vogue.  He was a man of common sense and valor who never left his roots and was always a giver, not only of things but of ideas and morals.  His leadership to his colleagues and his friends is unsurpassed, never with an "I told you so."

Burt and I came from different backgrounds, however he showed me the way to be the person I am today.  Burt's approach was a combination of common sense with a smile.  He taught me humility as I lost many a car wash to him during the backgammon years. 

He taught me respect and consideration for people you would work with and also taught me that failure was a teaching moment.  The greater good is really what Burt was about whether it was helping build Temple Ramat Zion or building a park for others to use. 

Charlene and Burt were the roots of a fine family tree which now includes their grandchildren and others who have married into their family.  They now have a void that can never be filled and I think our community also has this void as well.  Many will call Burt a pioneer in the landscape industry, a philanthropist, an innovator, and the like, but I am proud to call this man, my friend for life.  He was the epitome of the person we all wanted to be. 

Burt did not ask what his country could do for him but did a lot for his country and the San Fernando Valley as a whole.  Burt was not only a Mensch, but a Tzedek dressed in khakis and a dress shirt.  Rest well BSS,  Rest well my friend and mentor....