Obituary of Nicholas Slutsky, 39
Nicholas Slutsky
September 6, 1981 – August 10, 2020
San Diego, CA
– We remembered Nick on what would have been his 40th birthday and mourn that he was not here to celebrate. Nicholas Robert Slutsky was born at UCSD Medical Center. He grew up in San Diego (Mission Hills) and felt a strong tie to the community. He was smart, athletic and good looking with a ready smile, crystal blue eyes, a distinctly silly laugh and the ability to engage with anyone he met. He always preferred to be in the company of friends, and loved being in love. Good food was one of Nick’s passions and he loved to cook for family and friends, often tweaking recipes into his own masterpieces. He was ten years old when he first subscribed to Bon Appetite magazine and later worked in several local cafes, including as a chef at Blue Water restaurant for a time. Nick attended school locally: Grant Elementary, Bell and Correia Middle, and Point Loma High Schools. He enjoyed landscape design and other community college classes. He was a gifted horticulturist and created a dynamite liquid fertilizer. Nick also appreciated good beer, earning an International Diploma in brewing technology in Chicago and Munich.
Aside from the occasional kitchen explosion, his creative brews elicited high praise. Seeing new sights, meeting new people and the adventures of travel brought Nick joy. He worked at a ski resort in Lake Tahoe, on a diving boat in Hawaii, at a vineyard in Paso Robles; and he followed his true love to Argentina. Nick experienced the world in a way many could only dream about but family and friends were helpless as his mental health challenges pulled him further and further from a life of promise down a path of pain and struggle. At the time of his death, Nick was homeless and on a waiting list for a supportive place to live. A part of him is finally at home with those who loved him, and at sea off his favorite Ocean Beach. Now the voices are silenced and we hope Nick is at peace. Nick Slutsky was predeceased by his loving grandparents and stepdad, David. He is survived by his mother, Betsy Morris; his father, Robert Slutsky; his sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Ian Lowe, beloved niece Avery and nephew Owen; sister Olivia; “second mother” Sheila; his Uncle Bob; and Cousin Dave who was always there to extend his hand. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, no memorial was held. If you would like to honor Nick’s journey, the family suggests donations to NAMI San Diego to support their advocacy for people with mental illness or to a homeless services provider of your choosing. Next time you pass an unsheltered person on the street, please greet them as you walk by.
Published by San Diego Union-Tribune on Oct. 3, 2021.
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