Louis Dolgin

1923 - 2015

(News article) Louis Dolgin, whose family's jewelry store - founded by his father, Aaron, downtown - became a longtime West Toledo fixture, died Sunday in ProMedica Toledo Hospital. He was 91.

Mr. Dolgin of West Toledo, had a heart attack, his daughter Lynda said. He'd had lung cancer and renal failure.

He was president of Dolgin Jewelers, taking over from his father, who went in to work regularly well into his 80s. His mother, Betty, retired in October, 1995, at least according to newspaper ads and signs in the store. She went to the store every day until less than two months before her death in February, 1999, at age 92.

The plan had been for Mr. Dolgin's son Jon, the vice president, to take over the business. But then his son became ill and unable to work.

"He worked until he didn't want to work any more, and then he closed it down," son Jon said.

Mr. Dolgin retired in 2010.

He was already president of the business in October, 1976, when he opened Dolgin Jewelers at the Cricket West shopping center on West Central Avenue.

Mr. Dolgin was anticipating the inevitable: The city bought the Dolgin building at 336 N. Summit St. as part of urban renewal efforts in the planning stages for more than a decade. The jewelry shop had been at that spot since the mid 1950s. Then in March, 1977, the city told the family to be out of the store in about a month.

Also in October, 1976, Dolgin Jewelers bought the Armstrong Watch & Diamond Co., a long-standing downtown business that was the official timekeeper and jeweler of the area's railroads.

Mr. Dolgin designed rings for all occasions, necklaces, other jewelry pieces. Some customers had old diamonds or colored stones they wanted remounted or displayed differently.

"He'd come up with something," his son said. "He liked designing jewelry for people, making creations for them."

He liked to make people happy, his son said, and "he enjoyed making new friends."

Customers trusted the business with jewelry for their memorable occasions, and some even called his home after the store closed, asking for advice or a referral.

"He was an honorable person. That meant a lot to him," his daughter said.

He was born Sept. 23, 1923, in New York, and grew up in Toledo. He was a graduate of DeVilbiss High School and enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II and served in England as an instrument technician.

His father established the jewelry store in 1923 at 707 Adams St.

Mr. Dolgin worked in his father's store some before the war, but joined the enterprise afterward.

"He liked working with his family. We had a close family," his son said. "He was a good guy to work with."

For about 40 years, Mr. Dolgin also was an owner of commercial property and apartment buildings.

He and his son owned trotters, which competed at such harness tracks as Raceway Park in Toledo. Two of their horses were champions.

"He'd go out there and watch 'em run," his son said. "I liked to see him smile and see him socializing."

He and his wife, Suzanne, married April 1, 1951. She died June 25, 1970.

His marriage to Frances Kane ended in divorce.

Surviving are his daughter, Lynda Dolgin-Duda; sons, Dr. Eric Dolgin and Jon Dolgin, and sisters, Bette Faye Cone-Schwartz and Shirley Levy.

Services will be at noon Thursday in The Temple-Congregation Shomer Emunim, Sylvania Township. Arrangements are by the Robert H. Wick/?Wisniewski Funeral Home.

The family suggests tributes to the Toledo Animal Shelter; Toledo Area Humane Society, Maumee; Congregation Shomer Emunim, or a charity of the donor's choice.

This story was written by Blade Staff Writer Mark Zaborney. Contact him at: mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.