Lucky Guy From Squirrel Hill: A Memoir

Stanley Ruskin grew up in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood in Pittsburgh, known for its ageless Victorian homes and tight-knit community. At Western Reserve Academy, he learned the habits of a gentleman, scholar, and sportsman. As one of the school’s few Jewish students, he also learned the meanings of “quota” and “institutionalized antisemitism.”

Overprepared for college at Wharton, Stanley returned to Pittsburgh and ended up graduating from Pitt while mastering bridge, squash (along with some fraternity hijinks). Married twice, first to the girl-next-door, then to Judy (another neighbor), and the love of his life.

Stanley took the reins of the family box business, started by his grandfather. As the company thrived, he and his family traveled the world, enjoyed vacation homes, and devoted himself to the betterment of Pittsburgh. Following a financial restructuring, Stanley and his son continue in the box biz. Now in Florida after 60 years in Pittsburgh, he still thinks of himself as “The Lucky Guy from Squirrel Hill.”

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