Obituary - Gideon Schuman, the founder of the ceiling vacuuming industry

By Gavin Clarke, President, the Australian Dust Removalists Association (ADRA), Insulvac - a Lead Safe Partner of the Lead Safe World Project of The LEAD Group

Monday 3 April 2017

Sorry to be the bearer of sad news but Gideon Schuman of Ceiling Suckers (arguably the founder of the ceiling vacuuming industry in Australia*) is in palliative care and only has a short time left on this earth. I visited him at Westmead Hospital on Sunday. He was unconscious and not expected to resurface unfortunately. As motorbike riding was his passion there is a steady stream of biker visitors who paste his progress on the Hills Ulysses FB site.

PHOTO: Gavin Clarke (standing) (and Sandy) enjoying a coffee break with Gideon Schuman (seated) at Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens in January 2017. Gideon loved riding his motorbike and taking the time to enjoy the scenery.

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Sadly I have to inform you that Gideon Schuman passed away today in hospital at 1pm. He was an eccentric and passionate man whom I only made acquaintance with this year after he kindly reached out and invited me to ride with him and his motorcycle club members.

Rest in Peace Gideon.

Note: * as the cavity dust vacuuming industry was founded in Australia (and is still virtually unknown in the rest of the world), by Gideon Schuman in Mount Isa, Queensland in 1988, Gideon can be credited with being the global founder of the cavity dust vacuuming industry.

Gideon was a keen observer and photographer too and the photographs of ceiling voids on his website make up the best visual representation of the industry that exists on one webpage: http://www.ceilingsuckers.com.au/gallery.html  - as shown below: