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Joseph Sugarman Obituary
Joe was born April 25, 1938 in Oak Park, Illinois to Faye (Levine) and Benjamin Sugarman. He had three sisters: Barbara, Nancy, and Judy.
Joe attended the University of Miami as an electrical engineering major. In 1962, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, six months shy of college graduation. He spent over three years in Germany where he served with Army Intelligence and later with the CIA.
Returning home, he formed a company to market Austrian ski lifts in the U.S. and later formed his own ad agency to service six other ski resorts.
In 1971, Joe's company JS&A began selling electronics including the first pocket calculator through mail-order out of the family's basement of their Northbrook, Illinois home. JS&A was the first to use a toll-free 800 number to take credit card orders over the phone. The company's success was due in large part to Joe's unique long-form copy advertising style.
In the early 80's, Joe held seminars at his vacation home in Minocqua, Wisconsin teaching his advertising techniques to the top people of various businesses including Sharper Image and Victoria's Secret.
In 1986, Joe introduced the world to BluBlocker Sunglasses through the revolutionary infomercial. BluBlockers became a hit and Joe's main business for over three decades, with BluBlockers being sold on QVC Home Shopping and appearing in the movie The Hangover.
Joe moved BluBlocker Corporation to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1989, and lived part-time on Maui starting in 1993 where he owned and ran The Maui Weekly, shedding light on important topics in the community.
Joe gave speeches on advertising and direct marketing internationally, always claiming to have failed more times than he succeeded and stressing the importance of learning from failure - his most entertaining story of failure being that of the Batman Credit Card.
Joe is a published author with seven books on advertising and marketing including: Success Forces, Triggers, and The AdWeek Copywriting Handbook. He received various awards including Direct Marketer of the Year in 1979 and the prestigious Maxwell Sackheim Award in 1990 for Innovation in the Direct Response Industry.
Joe was a deeply-loved and cherished father, grandfather, and brother. He is survived by his children April Sugarman-Smith (Steven Smith) and Jill Sugarman-Fickett; his grandchildren Connor and Felicity Smith; and his sisters Barbara Schultz (Richard), Nancy Sugarman, and Judy Sugarman.
Joe will be laid to rest April 25, 2022 at 11:00AM at Shalom Cemetery in Arlington Heights, Illinois. There will be a celebration of his life following the funeral service.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Joseph Sugarman
Meenakshi Angel Honig
March 22, 2025
Joe was kind, helpful, generous & thoughtful! He was a blessing in our lives! I pray that he is enjoying eternal peace & bliss (with his cool BluBlockers of course!) :):)
William Pearce
March 21, 2024
We had some great days with you. Loved that Corvette and the friendship above all.
Joyce Gioia
April 25, 2022
April and Jill, I was a very long-time friend of your father. I only found out about his passing because today was his birthday and I tried all of his numbers to reach him. Joe wrote the foreword for my new book, expected out within weeks. My heartfelt sympathy to you and your children. We were all privileged to have known him. Love, Light, and Peace, Joyce
Carol Ballard
April 25, 2022
I will always remember Joe's infectious smile. He was intelligent and kind. I was Blessed to have known him. God watch over and keep him.
Carole Silvey Goldstein
April 22, 2022
In 1962 I was in Munich Germany where Joe was stationed. Joe´s sister Karen told Joe that I was coming to Munich and Joe took the day to show me around. That is a fond memory I will always cherish.
Joseph Sugarman
April 5, 2022
My only connection to Joseph Sugarman is that we shared the same name. I used to work in advertising and many people over the years asked me if I was *the* Joseph Sugarman. When I was in school and looking for an internship, I remember one direct mail business hired me solely because the owner wanted to boast that "Joe Sugarman was working for him." My parents gave me a copy of "Success Forces" when I was a kid and I still have it. These days, I actually sort of look similar to the photo of Joseph Sugarman on its back cover. I wish I could have met the *other* Joe Sugarman at some point. He lived a creative, entrepreneurial life much like my grandfather, whose name, by the way, was also Joseph Sugarman. Rest in peace.
Andrew
March 31, 2022
Thoughts of peace and thoughts of comfort
Idan
March 31, 2022
Joe helped me in the most difficult moment of my marketing career. He was a great marketer, but even more importantly, to me at least, he had a huge heart.
This happened 8 years ago and since then I mentioned Joe's kindness to my business community many many times, including a podcast I've just finished recording when I heard about Joe's passing. Will love Joe forever.
Al Fleishman
March 29, 2022
I had the honor of working with Joe for over a decade, selling BluBlocker Sunglasses to Walgreens and Rite Aid. He was the ultimate gentleman and an extraordinary visionary. Through Joe, I met and worked with incredible people and developed life long friends. Including the late, great Dr. Geek. Joe will be missed but his legacy will last forever. RIP, Joe.
J.M. Buck
March 28, 2022
I owe Joe a priceless debt of gratitude. A mentor and a friend, Joe changed my life for the better in ways I couldn't have possibly imagined. He took an unknown neophyte writer and gave me a chance, turning me into a professional investigative journalist and making me editor for a time of his newspaper, Maui Weekly.
Joe generously shared his knowledge and talents with all those around him; he demanded of people nothing less than the highest of standards, yet he accomplished this in a gentle, instructive way that made others want to reach for the moon and stars-for excellence.
I'll always remember the awesome crew he put together at Maui Weekly, the parties at his house on Keawakapu Beach, the fun newspaper contests, and the opportunity to bring to the public hard-hitting in-depth stories on subjects other newspapers were afraid to touch (can I let the Big Cat out of the bag now?).
Joe, it was an honor and a privilege knowing you. Thank you for having been a part of my life. Though you may be gone in the flesh, you live on through the memories, hearts and lives of those you touched.
Steven A Le Vine
March 27, 2022
Cousins I will never forget Joe and all of you . May he rest in Eternal Peace z'l"
Marshall C. "Rusty" Sanders
March 27, 2022
Joe and my cousin, Ron Robbins, who died from COVID-19 last year, used to bring me along on their various escapades when I was a kid (I am 5 years younger). Joe and I kept in touch over the years after the FTC matter. He was a good guy in my opinion.
Meenakshi Angel Honig
March 27, 2022
Joe was a kind, humble & generous dear friend of ours. He lived up to & embodied the sweetness encoded in his last name. May he rest in eternal peace & bliss. Below is a photo from one of his many visits to our home.
Michele DeMarco
March 26, 2022
My heartfelt condolences to the family of Joe Sugarman. I worked at Alltapes in Chicago with him many years ago and remained friends, now living in Las Vegas. May he be in God´s heavenly peace!
Sue Cohn
March 26, 2022
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~From an Irish headstone
Joe, I'm grateful for our friendship over the past 30 years with Gary(of blessed memory), Michelle, Stephanie, and myself.
The creativity between you and Gary was incredible. I loved the projects you worked on together and the freedom of creativity you allowed him to express in his work with you including getting Blublockers into movies and commercials, saving Big Beach on Maui from being developed, raffling off the DeLorean to save BB, and SO many more projects. You introduced us to Gene and we spend time on Maui with you. I will never forget you and will cherish our last visit in Vegas a few years ago. May your memory be a blessing to your family and friends.
Zachary Vojdani
March 25, 2022
May G-d comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Howard and Ahava Wills and Family
March 25, 2022
Love You Joe. All of us that knew you will miss you greatly. You supported everyone in wonderful ways. Thank You For All The Help And Encouragement You Gave To Everyone Including My Entire Family. We had many great, interesting and fun times.My wife Ahava and myself were married on your oceanfront lawn in
Kihei, Maui eighteen years ago. Great magic was created that day !! Now we have a 16 year old son Ramana Imanuel Wills. Your magic helped us find our magic. Thank You Joe and all your family. We love you all and thank you for our friendships. Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa Forever Joe and God Bless You Now And Forever. Thank You For Everything My Friend
Howard Wills and Family
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