City Council honors late community leader Samuel Shriberg

The City Council signed a resolution this week honoring the memory of long-time Waltham resident and World War II veteran Samuel M. Shriberg and celebrating his work in the community 50 years after his death.

Shriberg was deeply involved in many aspects of Waltham’s community. He founded multiple youth organizations, served as president of the Lions Club, and was an active community member in Temple Beth Israel and multiple service lodges around the city.

During the Vietnam War Shriberg founded an organization called Waltham Support Our Servicemen to send care packages toWalthamites serving in the army.

Shriberg, who ran multiple pharmacies and lived with a disability, contributed significantly to local health care, serving as the founder of the Waltham Area Diabetes chapter, the public chair of the Waltham Hospital Building Fund, and the president of the Waltham Pharmaceutical Association. 

Waltham previously dedicated a lectern at the Waltham Common to Shriberg, and earlier this year he was honored in the city’s Veterans Day service.

Ward 7 Councilor Paul S. Katz, who introduced the resolution, told the council that Shriberg’s achievements are “powerful examples of what happens when one chooses not just to care, but to act.”

“At a time when attention often gravitates toward noise and criticism, Sam Shriberg’s legacy reminds us that real change comes from those who roll up their sleeves and do the work. His life is a testament to service, compassion, and the belief that one person’s effort can strengthen an entire community,” Katz said.

Ward 6 Councilor Sean T. Durkee, who co-sponsored the resolution, also recognized a list of Waltham residents who contributed to SOS 50 years ago, calling the program “decades ahead of its time.”

The council voted to sign a resolution commemorating Shriberg’s services to Waltham and presented copies of the resolution to Shriberg’s daughter Judy Quint and to Rabbi Benjamin Chaidell of Temple Beth Israel.

See City Council in brief for additional coverage of the Nov. 24 meeting.