Daniel C. Usner

Daniel C. Usner, 84, of Seven Hills, Ohio (formerly of Akron and Brecksville) passed away at his home on Thursday September 9, 2010 after a long illness.

He was born to the late Conrad and Theresa Usner of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania on April 8, 1926.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Barbara and Ann, and his brother Johnny. He is survived by his devoted wife, Betty (nee Keller) of 61 years; loving children, Linda (Gary Dunn) of Cuyahoga Falls and Mark (Wendy) of Brunswick; cherished grandsons, Andrew and Joseph Usner also of Brunswick; sister, Nancy Karapcik of Cleona, Pa.; brother, CJ (Jan) of Palmyra, Pa., many nieces and nephews, and much loved caregivers Oksana Korovay and Oksana Olenchuk.

An Air Force veteran of World War II serving as a B-17 bombardier and former minor league pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, Daniel spent his career in the field of retail, serving first as comptroller of Polsky's in Akron and rising to the position of Operations VP at Higbee's in Cleveland. During his tenure at Higbee's in the 1960s, he became widely known in the industry as an innovator in his field and was a frequent speaker at the National Retail Merchants Association annual convention and tradeshow in New York City. His seminars there proved so popular that they often had to be moved to larger venues to accommodate demand. In 1970, Daniel struck out on his own, founding Usner Development Systems Incorporated which specialized in systems for the handling of hanging garments. Over the following 30 years, he obtained 6 US Patents in this field and counted all the major department store chains in the country among his customers. Respected among peers for his business acumen and appreciated by all for his mischievous sense of humor, he was an avid fan of Big Band music and Cleveland sports teams. He collected nautical antiques, model sailing ships, and lighthouse replicas, and enjoyed travelling the world with his wife.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Cleveland Clinic hospice, especially to Jen and Karen, for their kind, caring, gentle, professional support over the last days of Daniel's life.

Funeral services will be held TODAY at 10 A.M. at the Catavolos Funeral Home, 3653 W. Market St., Fairlawn 44333. Memorials may be made to the Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland, 3601 S. Green Rd. Ste 100, Beachwood, OH 44122. Online condolences may be left at Catavolosfuneralhome.com

Catavolos Funeral Home Fairlawn*Cleveland*Westlake

(330) 666-3089