Manfred Steinfeld

Manfred Steinfeld, 95.Beloved husband of Fern Goldman for 70 years. Son of Abraham and Paula Katten Steinfeld of Josbach, Germany. Brother of Irma and Naftali Herbert. Father died in 1929 and mother and sister perished in Stutthof concentration camp in 1945. Brother killed by British troops in Palestine in 1945. Surviving family members are and Michael (Rosibel) Steinfeld, Paul (Sara Sisson) Steinfeld and Jill (Timothy Cunniff) Steinfeld. 11 grandchildren; Adam David, Joshua Matthew, Tara Shane, Ryan Tyler, Courtney Esther, and the late Danny Paul, Chase James, Caroline Danielle, Kevin Danny, Jason Alan, and Bradley Danny. Manny came to American from Germany in 1938 at age 14. He attended Hyde Park High School, 1939-1942, and U of I, 1942-1943. He joined the US Army in 1943 and served as a military intelligence specialist with 82nd Airborne Division. Was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals for wounds received in Airborne landings in Holland. Was a liberator of Woebbelin Concentration Camp, May 2, 1945. Attended Roosevelt University 1945-1948. Recalled during the Korean War 1950-1952. Founded Shelby Williams in 1954. The company produced 30 million chairs from 1954-1999 and employed over 2200 people. Manny sold Shelby Willliams in 1999. He received the Horatio Alger award in 1981 and with his wife were founders of the US Holocaust Museum in 1990. Endowed Hospitality and Tourism School at Roosevelt University. Established Judaic studies program at U of Tenn. Named U of Tenn "Volunteer of the Year 1995". Established a gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago. Endowed chair at Weitzmann Institute in Israel. Built Naftali Steinfeld Education Center in Jerusalem, and Youth Center in Josbach, Germany, his birth place, named in memory of his brother. Served as campaign chair for JUF in 1987 and 1997 and elected Chairman of Jewish Federation of Chicago 1999-2000. Received the Julius Rosenwald Memorial Medal in 2001. Received the Platinum Circle award in 1987 and Humanitarian Award from HD magazine in 1999. Named ICON of the hotel industry in 1997. With his wife, Fern he awarded more than 500 scholarships at U of Tenn, Roosevelt U, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Brandeis U. In memory of his grandson Danny, he established Danny Cunniff Park in Highland Park and Danny Cunniff Memorial Playground for Jewish Youth Services. Funded Danny Cunniff Leukemia Research Laboratory at Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel and Leukemia Research at St. Jude, Memphis. Received Honorary Doctors Degree from Roosevelt in 1996. Founded Daniel Paul Chairs in 2002 and Stack Chair Depot, an Internet merchant in 2005. Elected Life Trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008. "Legacy of Style" published in 2000 covered his business career. His wartime experiences were featured in "Nightmares End" a Discovery Channel documentary. His business career was covered in a segment of "Pinnacle," a CNN series, and in "Profiles of Success," a PBS series. His life and successes were featured in "Victim and Victor," which aired on PBS. The book, "A Life Complete The Journey of Manfred Steinfeld" published in 2013, chronicles his life story. Other organizations that have honored Manny include ADL, ORT, American Jewish Committee, Hebrew U, Hadassah, Israel Bonds, The Illinois Holocaust Foundation, the US Chamber of Commerce Central Region and American Israel C of C. Service Wednesday 1:30PM at Jewish Chicago Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd., (at Niles Center Road) Skokie. Interment Shalom. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made the Jewish United Fund, 30 South Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60606, www.juf.org or the Danny Cunniff Leukemia Research Laboratory at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, c/o 60 Revere Drive, Suite 800, Northbrook, Illinois 60062, www.Chicago.hadassah.org would be appreciated. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals – Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.