George H. Dalsheimer, Photo Collector and Educator, Dies at 93

April 21, 2025 JMORE Staff

George Hugo Dalsheimer is remembered by friends and family members as a renaissance man. (Photo courtesy of Sol Levinson & Bros.)

Baltimore educator, philanthropist, community activist and fine arts collector George Hugo Dalsheimer passed away on Thursday, Apr. 10. He was 93.

A Baltimore native, he was a 1950 graduate of The McDonogh School. Dalsheimer received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from Cornell University. He later earned a master’s degree in teaching from Johns Hopkins University.

In 1955, Dalsheimer began serving in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of first lieutenant. Following his discharge, he and his family returned home to Baltimore, where Dalsheimer worked in the family business, The Lord Baltimore Press, co-founded by his father, Hugo, and paternal grandfather, Simon.

Shortly after, George Dalsheimer began a 20-year career as a teacher and administrator at The Park School of Baltimore.

“He took immense pride in the integral role he played in expanding the school and science programs and he found great joy working with and educating his students, many of whom continue to remember him with great affection to this day,” his family wrote on the website of Sol Levinson & Bros.

Dalsheimer retired from education in 1979 to pursue his passion for photography. He amassed what was considered one of the foremost photography collections in the nation, which in 1988 was acquired by the Baltimore Museum of Art.

The collection included more than 600 vintage prints by major photographers of the 20th century, including Ansel Adams, Harry Callahan, Robert Frank, Aaron Siskind and Edward Weston. A decade later, Dalsheimer donated to the BMA an additional 300 photographs from his collection.

He also opened The G. H. Dalsheimer Gallery on South Charles Street in downtown Baltimore, dealing primarily in paintings, prints, vintage photographs and sculptures.

An active community member and leader, Dalsheimer volunteered and served on the boards of the Maryland Institute College of Art, the Baltimore Science Center, Baltimore Center Stage and The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.

In his spare time, Dalsheimer enjoyed sailing, traveled extensively around the world, and was passionate about scuba diving and underwater photography. For years, he and his second wife, Robin, lived in the Grand Cayman islands and were active in the community there, particularly with the International Wine and Food Society and Cayman Hospice Care.

“George was a celebrated toast giver, an enthusiastic amateur hurricane prognosticator, a meditator, and ironically, an eager student,” his family wrote. “George took classes in jazz and classical music, literature, history, theology, and other subjects until the final months of his life. He learned to play the piano and frustrated many with his efforts to master the harmonica.”

Dalsheimer is survived by his wife of 33 years, Robin Dalsheimer; his children, Nancy Dalsheimer Savage (Paul Levine), Kenneth George Dalsheimer (Marybeth Dugan) and Susan Dalsheimer Poncelet (Eric Poncelet); his stepchildren Beth Buckner Denes (Jeff Denes) and Adam Coplan; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Sandra Klivans Dalsheimer; his daughter, Janet Ellen Dalsheimer; his brother, Roger Dalsheimer; and his parents, Hugo and Helen Dalsheimer.

A private service in George Dalsheimer’s memory will be held at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Cemetery. The family requests donations in his memory be made to the Janet E. Dalsheimer Memorial Fund for Faculty Grants at The Park School of Baltimore or to Faculty Enrichment at the Maryland Institute College of Art.