Tributes to Manny

Friends and family pay tribute to Manny Barenholtz

the historic homes along Chillicothe Rd./ Rt. 306 and from the Aurora Country Club down to the Aurora Inn and along Route 82 to the train station area. A DEVELOPMENT was coming to Aurora?

The Gift of Manny

Joan Didion once wrote, “A single person is missing for you, and the whole world is empty. ”

We have found that to ring true since now, Manny is missing, and Walden feels empty, even lonely.

Yet, the other day, we were reminded of another truism as we were out walking our puppy, which is that those who create leave pieces of themselves behind. It was a dark and “Manny-unlit” late evening in the streets of our beautiful neighborhood, and as the rising moon lit our way, we heard a “hoot-hoot” of an owl high in our now-mature trees. It was as if Manny was calling out, reminding us that he is still here in all that he created…in all thus beauty that surrounds us all every day!

As we walked on, filled with—and surrounded by—thoughts of our beloved Manny, we reflected on the history of Walden, dating back to the 1970s. Manny’s vision was always about creating a community of PEOPLE, and never about simply creating a bunch of homes, and he certainly accomplished that.

In this most special Walden community, Manny has left us with a philosophy of life and living, preaching “simplicity at its best,” and maintaining an equilibrium and integrity with the beauty of the natural world and the constructed world. We fondly recalled working with him and his architect on our own beautiful home, and then watching other homes around us under construction, all done with Manny’s usual loving care.

Although Manny has left us now, he has entrusted us with his vision and his legacy. He will remain fully alive in Walden as we honor him in tribute and reverence by remaining true to the spirit of his message. It is up to us to keep him close in heart and mind by vigilantly nurturing the spirit and beauty that is Walden, and ultimately, this spirit and beauty that s Manny.

With much love and appreciation, Ren and Mary Bookman

Manny Barenholtz, Our Man for all Seasons

Visionary, patriot, optimist are just a few of the words that describe Manny. The words would highlight our stories. But they all would fall short in defining who he was.

He saw farmland and dense woods, and with his creative vision, he built Walden; an enduring legacy where friendships span generation to generation.

How many times at the club will we look up and expect to see his shy smile of recognition before we finally accept that he is gone?

In that sad moment of loss, we can remember how blessed we are to say in one voice, “Yes, I knew Manny Barenholtz. He was my friend.”

Al & Sharon O’Neil

Manny and Aurora… a Full Circle! Around 1960, Bob and I were kids growing up in Aurora. Bob’s father, David R. Tuttle, was mayor of Aurora. A man named Manny Barenholtz bought a farm on Route 43 and planned to build a “development.”

Aurora had never had a “development“ before! Aurora was a village with a few people who shared duties as mayor and council people. The homes in Aurora at the time were

Manny built the first few homes. They were small ranches. David Tuttle and the powers that be said, “STOP, NO more. This is not AURORA.” He was stopped. They required Manny to increase the size of the homes. Manny was not happy. Dave Tuttle was not happy! They were not friends in any sense of the word!

Manny went on to build lovely homes that were larger. He was wildly successful! Four Seasons was a great success and was built out in just a few years. Bob and I bought our first home in Four Seasons. It was a Manny home, of course. We were the second owners. Manny and his family lived on the next street!

A few years after Four Seasons was completed, Manny bought another farm on Bissell Road. Aurora was larger then and had more than a few developments. He proposed “Walden,” an all-natural setting like Walden Pond.

Meanwhile, Manny and Dave Tuttle had actually become friends. Good friends! Manny told Dave that he wanted to name the main street of Walden “David Tuttle Drive,” as he so appreciated Dave’s direction with Four Seasons and his success there. Dave said, “Absolutely NOT!”

Dave and Phoebe built one of the first condos in Walden with Manny… the very first one you see coming onto WALDEN DRIVE past The Barn on the hill of the Claridges. They loved Walden. He and Manny continued to be friends until Dave died.

We lived in Four Seasons when Manny was building Walden. It was a golf community. We were in our 20s with no interest in golf. But the second year, they were building a POOL, a beautiful pool. We were interested! We had one little girl then named Bryn, a year old. The day the pool opened, we joined Walden in June of 1971. A couple of years later, we had Elisabeth. Bryn, Elisabeth and I spent every day, all summer, at the Walden pool! We have been members ever since. We lived in the Highlands of Aurora and eventually bought a condo in Walden after 40+ years; our second

“Manny” home. We certainly got to know Manny well. What a delightful, insightful man he was!

In 2020, our daughter Bryn, and her husband Henk, had Manny build them a home in the Ravines. They started digging, set the foundation, and … Covid hit. Amazingly, the construction never stopped. The house was built in nine months. Manny was there every day... all day, sometimes! The house was Manny’s interpretation of their vision. It was right on!

I said to Bryn, “Remind Manny that you are Dave Tuttle’s granddaughter.” She said, “Oh Mom, he knows that.” But at the next design meeting, she said, “Manny, you remember that I’m Dave Tuttle’s granddaughter, don’t you?”

He turned white, lost his breath, got up and walked around for a few minutes...then came back to the table and said, “This may be the last house I build. I started here in Aurora with David Tuttle and finished my career with his granddaughter!”

This

is FULL CIRCLE!

With fond memories, Ruth and Bob Tuttle Our Manny

Our dear Manny was an exemplary man. We met him through our dear friend, Bonnie, who was soon to marry a kind, gentle, generous yet strong, very intelligent man. My husband Stephen and I were impressed, indeed. Who wouldn’t be?

Moreover, manning (pun intended) the helm of Walden for some 50+ years was his passion, and it showed. Manny’s love for “his Walden,” as he often phrased it, impressed two jaded, well-traveled New Yorkers from the start… a haven and a heaven in every delightful detail.

Great Fun With Great Friends

The exuberance, gusto and sheer joy which Manny & Bonnie derived from their marriage, to the very end, is a postscript to all he achieved.

There will never be another Manny. But let us hope that those who walk in his footsteps realize and live up to the estimable standards Manny had maintained throughout the life of Extraordinary Walden.

Sheila & Stephen Bernard

Unbuildable? Not for Manny!

Manny was one of the sharpest guys I have ever met! His true love and passion for building Walden will never be forgotten.

In 2015, my wife (Leslie) and I wanted to construct a new home in Walden but didn’t think it was possible. Manny came up with a creative solution for us to build a custom home on a lot that was thought to be unbuildable.

We now live on the best street in Walden with a lake view and privacy. He truly did make a dream become reality for us.

Matt Fletcher

Friends Through the Years

Manny and I were friends for 35 years. We spoke each week about business, government, and his travels with Bonnie to their Manhattan “getaway” and elsewhere. I shall always remember with great fondness our many years of friendship.

Alan Levine

My Friend’s Husband

I knew Manny as the husband of my dear friend, Bonnie. My husband Alan and I would spend delightful times together, chatting away about all the wonderful travels we all enjoyed throughout our 37 years.

It was evident that Manny’s desire was to make Bonnie a “happy camper” as often as possible. We all laughed gleefully together and recognized what a wonderful “dreamer and creator” Manny was.

Gail Levine

Never Before, Nor Since

In the ‘70s, I was working for Forest City Enterprises. Sam Miller, the Chief Executive Officer, asked me to take a look at a project a dear friend of his, Manny Barenholtz, had started in Aurora. Forest City was just starting to build condominium communities at that time and we were providing a lot of the building materials for Walden, and Sam thought it would be good for me to see his product and land use.

I met Manny there and was in total awe with the land planning. He shared with me his vision for what this community has become. The views from the units, the topography and land planning was something I had not seen before and have not seen since.

The owners of Walden have the beauty he had created for then, now and the future.

Steve Avner, Carlyle Management

Good Bones

The back story is that Manny built this house for my parents back in 1990. We finally finished making all of our renovations/additions and wanted to show Manny all the changes. He loved them and always loved this house because of the wine cellar. LOL. He loved the addition and kept saying, “This house has good bones!” Loved that. We had a great night and had dinner with both Manny and Bonnie.

Cassie Washburn

He Was Mr. B. to Me

I met Mr. Barenholtz in February 1998, a few months after the Inn opened. For the next 21 years, I grew up with Walden as an employee. I used to joke with Mr. B. that he helped fund my MBA, as I worked part-time, putting nearly every paycheck and gratuity towards my master’s degree.

I have many memories of Mr. B., from walking the halls of the Inn, hearing about his vision, to introducing him to guests of the Inn who were stunned they got to meet the “founder of Walden!”

Each time, I watched Mr. B. walk away from those conversations with his hand on his shaking head as if to say, “This is unbelievable and beautiful. My dream and vision have become other’s reality when they visit Walden.“

It was a joy to know guests he met felt about Walden what Mr. B. set out for 50 years prior. Mr. B. was the epitome of a gentleman, turning strangers into friends and never turning down the opportunity to say, “Hi, Michael” when I was nearby.

Mike Keckan

Our Visionary

The loss of Manny has been felt far and wide in Aurora and in Walden. Few people can truly be called a “visionary.”

He planned for the future with imagination and wisdom. He took his cues from the contour of the land that would eventually become Walden. He imagined waterways, vegetation and wildlife, while marrying them with homes that brought nature in by way of large windows with natural light.

He created something that has withstood time now going past a halfcentury. Ask people why they want to purchase a home in Walden, and you will understand that few could see the future better than Manny. He surrounded the homes with an 18-hole golf course, fine dining, recreational facilities and an inn that isn’t matched easily in Ohio or neighboring states. With his passing, we hope his family will continue to be visionaries and plan for the future with imagination and wisdom. We will miss his smile, his gentle demeanor, and his love for all things Walden.

Seems Like We Knew Him Forever

Adriana and I cannot exactly remember when we first met Manny (neither of us is from Cleveland), but it seems like we knew him forever.

We had many meals together, went to the theatre together and spent time at Walden/The Inn, where Manny would often discuss and show us his latest plans for the Walden/Inn physical plant. He would point to a piece of raw land and say,” I am going to build X,” and even once showed me a picture of a pedicure soaking bowl for the spa (clearly an item I knew nothing about).

He loved Walden et al, but more importantly, loved spending time with friends (often over lunch/dinner and a scotch) and we were blessed to have been among them.

We will always keep Manny in our memory,

Andrew & Adriana Randall

So, So Kind

Worth 1,000 Words

This picture says a great deal about our friend, Manny. Here he’s enjoying a refreshment, in a beautiful, natural environment, sitting and smiling lovingly with Bonnie, his true love. It really captures Manny’s soul. If we had served buckeyes from the Barn, the picture would be complete.

Suly & Steve Belman

I have only known Manny for six years, but in that time I got a glimpse of just how wonderful of a person he was. If I had to pick one word to describe Manny I would pick “special.” There was just something truly special about Manny. There was something about him that made you want to be around him and talk with him. One of my favorite memories that I have with him was when he kindly asked me to sing the National Anthem for a conference he was speaking at and I was practicing it for him and he was just being so, so kind. That day I really got to talk and get to know him more and it was so wonderful. I am so thankful I have been able to grow up in Walden. I am glad I got to know Manny and I will miss him dearly.

Carlie Conner