Obituaries
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 11, 2003
J. Smith Capel Jr., Capel imports director
Troy, N.C. — J. Smith Capel Jr., director of imports and overseas business for the rug resource bearing his family's name, died while on a business trip in India. He was 39.
Capel had served in the post since 1985. He was a member of the Young Presidents Organization, served on the board of The Land Trust of Central North Carolina, and was a member of the Order of the Cross and Chalice, a business honor society at North Carolina State University.
He survived by his wife, four children, his mother and three sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the J. Smith Capel Jr. Charitable Trust, The North Carolina Community Foundation, P.O. Box 2828, Raleigh, N.C. 27602.
Allen Ahlquist, Bench Craft, Schnadig retiree
Minneapolis — Veteran furniture manufacturing executive Allen Ahlquist has died. He was 67.
Ahlquist spent more than 40 years in the furniture industry. He was vice president of sales for Schnadig Corp. for many years. He retired in 2002 from his post as BenchCraft's vice president of sales for the North Central Region. He began his career in retail with Dayton's Department Stores in Minneapolis.
He is survived by his wife, three daughters and two grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis or to Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Minn.
Charles Caugh, retired manufacturing exec
Reston, Va. — Retired furniture manufacturing executive Charles L. Caugh has died. He was 88.
Caugh was active in the furniture industry for nearly 50 years. His career began in Sheboygan Falls, Wis., in 1937 at The Kohler Company and Richardson Bros. Furniture.
He moved to North Carolina in 1960, where he worked for Hickory Mfg., Hibriten, Bernhardt, Lane and Chaircraft.
He retired from Chaircraft in 1985, then worked for the Central Intelligence Agency until 1999.
Caugh is survived by four sons, one daughter, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. His son Gerry is a designer with Vaughan Furniture in Galax, Va.
Charlie Wood, sales rep and former VP
Atlanta — Longtime manufacturers representative Charlie Wood has died.
Following a career as a merchandising manager for Sears, Wood entered the furniture industry in 1974. He was vice president of sales for Southern Comfort Mfg. for several years before becoming an independent sales representative for Seminole Furniture, T Mfg. Co. and Drexel Van Buren.
He was representing all three companies at the time of his death.
Wood is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren.
