Obituaries
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 12, 2004
Canada's Anne de Boer, DeBoer's founder
BRAMPTON, Ontario — Anne de Boer, founder of furniture retailer DeBoer's and a leading member of the Christian Reformed Church in Canada, has died. He was 92.
De Boer founded what is now the six-unit DeBoer's in 1950 after immigrating to Canada with his family from Holland in 1947.
He had established a small furniture making and retailing business near his home town of Hoogeveen before the outbreak of World War II. The Germans took over his store and arrested De Boer after discovering he was helping Jews as part of the Dutch underground.
He was sent to a concentration camp for several months while his pregnant wife, Zwaantina, and their four children were driven from their home.
His Canadian store experimented with such products as giftware and pottery, but soon began selling well-crafted Dutch furniture, which became widely popular in the 1950s and '60s. The chain now is best known as a specialist in high-end furniture, with an emphasis on contemporary design.
His granddaughter, Suanne de Boer, said the moving force in her grandfather's life was his faith. He helped found Christian schools in the Toronto area as well as Holland Christian House, a retirement home where he lived with his wife of 67 years at the time of his death.
Anne de Boer retired in the mid-1980s and his son, John, became president of DeBoer's. Suanne de Boer will succeed her father when he retires next year.
Two other children followed him into furniture retailing. Gerrit de Boer is president of Idomo Furniture, and Elizabeth de Boer is the owner of Heritage Interiors. Both stores are based in Toronto.
In addition to his wife, De Boer is survived by three other children, 17 other grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Howard Stralser, retailing veteran, consultant
LAS VEGAS — Industry veteran Howard Stralser, who held a senior executive position at Levitz and had leading roles with other furniture retailers, has died. He was 83.
Stralser got his start in the industry in 1945 at Triangle Furniture in Detroit. He moved into management in 1959 when he was named general manager of Mehagian's in Phoenix, and later held the same post at American Furniture Group in El Paso, Texas, and at the former American Furniture Co. in Denver.
Throughout the 1970s, he was involved in the growth of Levitz as a senior vice president and member of its board. He also was active in industry associations.
For the past decade, Stralser was a consultant, most recently to Walker Furniture in Las Vegas, which operates a main store, an outlet store, a Discount Desks store and 11 Best Mattress stores.
Before joining the industry, Stralser left college and became a flight navigator and captain in the U.S. Air Force. He flew missions over Europe during World War II and won several medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He is survived by his wife, Deanne Alterwitz-Stralser, chairman of Walker, and her children and Walker leaders Larry, Darryl, Linda and Aimee Alterwitz, and their 10 children. Stralser has two children — Steven Stralser and Carol Heiser — five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, all from a previous marriage.
Donations in his name may be made to the Congregation Ner Tamid Building Fund, 2761 Emerson Ave., Las Vegas, Nev. 89121, or to the Jewish National Fund at (888) jnf-0099 or www.jnf.org.
W. 'Gale' Pinder, Florida sales rep
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — W. "Gale" Pinder, a sales representative for Hickory Chair Co., Payne Street and Wright Table, has died. He was 66.
He represented Hickory Chair for 30 years until retiring, and repped for Payne Street and Wright Table until his death. He was a member of the Florida Home Furnishings Representatives Assn. and the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn.
Pinder is survived by his wife, a daughter and a grandson.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute or Hospice of the Comforter, 595 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs, Fla. 32714.
Robert D. Segal, veteran sales rep
HAWTHORNE, Fla. — Robert D. Segal, a sales representative and a longtime member of the Florida Home Furnishings Representatives Assn. and the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn., has died. He was 75.
He is survived by his wife, a daughter, a son and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hawthorne Historical Museum and Cultural Center, P.O. Box 125, Hawthorne, Fla. 32640. Cards may be sent to the Segal family at P.O. Box 130, Hawthorne, Fla. 32640.
