Obituaries
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, September 15, 2003
Michael Belford, longtime retailer
Delray Beach, Fla. — Longtime bedding and furniture retailer Michael Belford has died. He was 70.
Belford was in the furniture industry for more than 40 years. He was co-founder of the original National Warehouse and one-time owner of the former Giant Furniture in Cincinnati.
He is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.
Jakob Tulczinsky, founder of producer Solo
Linden, N.J. — Furniture manufacturer Jakob Tulczinsky, owner and founder of Solo Furniture, has died. He was 57.
Tulczinsky founded Solo, a manufacturer of wall units and entertainment centers, in 1984. Several members of his family joined him in the business, including his wife, Esther, sister-in-law, Norma, and two daughters, Ruti and Michelle. His eldest daughter, Ruti Sehovic, left the company to found Aryanna Furniture, which she operates with her husband, Sadmir Sehovic.
Tulczinsky helped his sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Shimon Einhorn, start manufacturer Sharut Furniture, and another sister and brother-in-law, Roz and Marc Schwam, found manufacturer Darian Furniture.
Tulczinsky is survived by his father, his wife, three daughters and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Jakob Tulczinsky Memorial Fund, Heroes Children's Cancer Center, Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian, 3959 Broadway, CHF 102, New York, N.Y. 10032.
Hanan Shurek, Rooms To Go merchandising VP
Suwanee, Ga. — Hanan Shurek, vice president of merchandising for Rooms To Go and a furniture retailer for 31 years, has died from complications after heart bypass surgery. He was 49.
He grew up in the furniture business in New York City, starting his career at age 18 as a sales associate at Sachs NY.
He was promoted into management and eventually became case goods buyer, and later worked in New York for Seaman's Furniture and Norman Harvey.
He joined Weisman Salvage and opened Weisman Furniture, becoming president and owner. He left New York to become an executive at Rooms To Go and had been based in Atlanta for the past eight years.
Survivors include his wife, Ilene, and a son and daughter-in-law, Harry Shurek and Brandi Raymond, all of whom work at Rooms To Go; another son; a daughter; a sister; a brother, Allen Shurek, with Woodbury, N.Y.-based Seaman's; his parents; a grandson; his mother-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.
A brother and an infant son preceded him in death.
Memorials may be made to the St. Joseph's Hospital Cardiac Care Unit, 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30342.
