Sherwin Glass

News Obituary Article

SUWANEE: Sherwin Glass, founded Farmers Furniture stores

By KAY POWELL

Though he grew up poor, Sherwin Glass always had a few pennies to put into his family's tzedakah box to help those with even less.

As the furniture magnate became a mega-millionaire, his contributions to the tzedakah box--- a charity box kept in many Jewish homes --- increased.

"He was a very charitable person," said philanthropist Erwin Zaban of Atlanta. "I solicited him many times for very large sums of money."

After listening to his pitch, Mr. Glass would ask, "What's the number?" When Mr. Zaban would tell him how much money he wanted, Mr. Glass always agreed to give and replied, "Why didn't you ask me for more?"

"We're talking very big money," Mr. Zaban said.

The funeral for Mr. Glass, 79, who died of cancer at his Atlanta residence Sunday, is at 3 p.m. today at Temple Sinai. Sandy Springs Chapel Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.

"The majority of his giving was in the Jewish community," said his wife, Shirley Glass. "He was successful, but he kept going. He said he had learned that the more money he made, the more he could give away."

Mr. Glass founded Farmers Furniture in Soperton in South Georgia in 1949. Now based in Dublin, the company has more than 140 stores and some employees who have worked there for more than 50 years, his wife said.

Mr. Glass' personal wealth was estimated at $300 million in a July 2001 Atlanta Journal-Constitution article. He contributed to the Zaban Night Shelter, AID Atlanta, Zaban Park's aquatic center, Atlanta Cancer Care and to Weinstein Hospice. He had been honored by the Jewish Federation of Atlanta with its lifetime achievement award and by the Anti-Defamation League with its Abe Goldstein Human Relations Award.

Mr. Glass took great pleasure in the real things of life, his wife said, like his orchard and waterfowl collection and walks around the grounds of his 11-bedroom, 30,000-square-foot house in Suwanee, which he sold along with 750 acres for $37 million in 2001.

Weekly poker games at Toby Sexton's house were another pleasure. "He was the best," said Mr. Sexton, of Lilburn. "If he won a dollar, he was thrilled to death."

Mr. Sexton was by Mr. Glass' side every day during one of the darkest times of his life. Mr. Glass' daughter, Shana Glass Slakman, 33, was murdered by the husband she was divorcing, Barry Steven Slakman, in 1993.

Mr. Slakman's first conviction was overturned. Mr. Sexton sat in court with Mr. Glass every day of the second trial in 2001. Mr. Slakman was convicted again and is serving a life sentence.

Mr. Glass created a foundation in his daughter's memory. "I don't think there was a day in his life he didn't think about her," Mr. Sexton said.

"He was just a very interesting guy," Mr. Zaban said. "He did it all on his own. He came up from nothing. He's a wonderful example of what makes America great."

Other survivors include four sons, Joel Glass of Asheville, N.C., Greg Glass of Atlanta and Jacob Glass and Jesse Glass, both of Montecito, Calif.; a stepson, Gregg Kaminsky of Atlanta; a stepdaughter, Kimberly Kaminsky of Atlanta; a sister, Sarah Lee Bush of Stamford, Conn.; and three grandchildren.

© 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution