Harry T. Mangurian Jr.

Mangurian, Harry T., Jr.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Passed away on October 19, 2008. Harry was born on October 1, 1926, in Rochester, New York, the eldest son of Harry and Ethel Mangurian. His business career began when he took a local family-owned furniture store through a nationwide expansion program, ultimately leading the company, known as "Mangurian's Inc." to public ownership and an eventual merger with General Portland Cement Company. Concurrently with the expansion of the furniture business, he established a real estate construction and development company in Fort Lauderdale through which he constructed and marketed over 10,000 residential units in south Florida. In 1977, he became a co-owner of the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At the end of the 1978 season in Buffalo, he and his partner negotiated a franchise swap of the Braves for the Boston
Celtics. He acquired sole ownership of the Celtics after one season in Boston and was instrumental in signing the players who won the 1981 NBA Championship. During that period he also became the owner of the Memphis Rogues soccer team, a franchise of the North American Soccer League. He entered the sport of thoroughbred racing in 1966, and during a 35 year involvement, acquired and developed a 1,100 acre thoroughbred farm in Ocala, Florida (Mockingbird Farm) which became one of the outstanding breeding and racing operations in North America. He set world records in both the number of stakes' winners bred as well as purses won. He was named Thoroughbred Breeder of the Year several times by both state and national associations. His initial million-dollar contribution to the "New York Heroes Fund" following the attacks of September 11 inspired others to contribute to that fund. In 1999, he and his wife of 62 years, Dorothy, established a private foundation through which they have supported medical, educational, and environmental organizations both nationally and internationally. Recently, the foundation gifted $5 million to Holy Cross Hospital for the combined purposes of providing the highest quality care in surgical oncology and women's health care. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, daughters Terry Skuse and Tracy Jenkins, brother Pierce and sister Ann Hanessian, four grandsons and two great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael and Diane Bienes Cancer Center, Holy Cross Hospital, 4725 North Federal Highway Ft. Lauderdale FL., 33308. Friends will be received from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Coral Ridge Country Club on Wednesday, October 22, 2008. Arrangements: by Baird-Case Jordan-Fannin Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Fort Lauderdale. (954) 492-4000.