Historical records matching Ervin Donsky
view all 19
Immediate Family
-
wife -
Private Userchild -
Private Userchild
-
Private Userchild
-
Private Userchild
-
mother -
father -
brother -
sister -
sister -
brother -
sister
About Ervin Donsky
JUST ERVIN KXLY
Founder & CEO of Sterling Wholesale Jewelers, Sterling Jewelry & Dist. Co, & Sterling Diamonds.
February 1, 1954 invested 9000.00 for 12.5 % as a junior partner in Houston Wholesale Jewelers. On May 1, 1954 sold that interest to Senior Partner Abe Donsky for $10,491.84 Partner in Kish Jewelers, 8 North Plaza, Paris Texas with Abe "Honey" Donsky, Robert B. Slaton, and Harry Kaplan Partner in Linn Bros Jewelers, Denison, Tx 1945
Ervin Donsky: Merchant behind landmark Sterling Jewelry, philanthropist
10:56 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 12, 2006
By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News
Ervin Donsky and his late wife, Frances, were among the pioneers of discount retailing. Their Sterling Jewelry was a Dallas institution for 45 years.
The Sterling showroom on Northwest Highway at Shady Brook Lane was a Dallas landmark for decades before the family decided to close the business in the 1990s.
Mr. Donsky, 89, died Monday of natural causes at a Dallas assisted-living center.
Services are set for 10 a.m. today at Congregation Shearith Israel. He will be buried in Congregation Shearith Israel Cemetery.
"He was very hardworking, driven," said his son, Dr. Michael Donsky of Dallas. "He was extremely charitable, and he loved sports."
Mr. Donsky loved to cook and work with wood. For years, he made all the fixtures for his store in his garage, his son said.
Born in Dallas, Mr. Donsky was the youngest in a family with nine children. He graduated from Forest Avenue High School, now James Madison High School.
In 1940, Mr. Donsky married Frances Cohen. The next year, the couple moved to Brownwood, Texas, where Mr. Donsky went to work for his brother Nathan Donsky, who operated a jewelry store.
The couple returned to Dallas in 1948.
In 1949, they founded Sterling Jewelry in downtown Dallas. In 1961, the business expanded to a $2 million building on Northwest Highway. The business thrived selling goods at a discount.
Sterling Jewelry later had locations in Richardson, Arlington and Houston.
The advent of big-box warehouse stores ate into the Sterling business, which closed in 1992. Not ready to sit on the sidelines, Mr. Donsky reopened a smaller store at the Northwest Highway store in June 1993. The business was sold in 1995. (The building is now occupied by Half Price Books.)
Mr. Donsky was active in Dallas, where his devotion to philanthropic causes was recognized with awards.
He was a past president of Congregation Shearith Israel, the Jewish Community Center of Dallas, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Golden Acres: The Home for the Jewish Aged, and the former Congregation Agudas Achim in South Dallas. He was a founder of Solomon Schechter Academy.
He had served on the Dallas planning commission and was a 32nd-degree Mason.
Mrs. Donsky died in 1988.
Mr. Donsky had 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren "who were the loves of his life," his son said.
In addition to his son and grandchildren, Mr. Donsky is survived by two daughters, Marilyn Pailet and Gayle Borovay; another son, Howard Donsky, and a sister, Bess Kaplan, all of Dallas.
Memorials may be made to the Frances and Ervin Donsky Endowment Fund of the Ann and Nate Levine Academy-A Solomon Schechter School, 18011 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas 75252; the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, 7800 Northaven Road, Dallas, Texas 75230; Congregation Shearith Israel, 9401 Douglas Ave., Dallas, Texas 75225; Aaron Family Jewish Community Center, 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas, Texas 75230; the American Hospice, 1636 N. Hampton Road, Suite 220, DeSoto, Texas 75115, or a charity of choice.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DONSKY, ERVIN, Age 89, passed away April 10, 2006, after a prolonged illness. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Frances Donsky, brothers Louis Donsky, Nathan Donsky, and Abe "Honey" Donsky, sisters Becky Lynn, Freda Curtis, Sara Harvit, Ida Saks and Lottie Slaton. He is survived by children Marilyn and Harrell Pailet, Michael and Barbara Donsky, Howard and Sandy Donsky, Gayle and Jeffrey Borovay, sister Bess Kaplan, sister-in-law Marian Magilow, brother-in-law Sol Cohen. He is also survived by his grandchildren Eric Pailet, Jeffrey and Summer Pailet, Kevin Pailet, David Pailet, Alan Donsky, Paul Donsky and Elizabeth Lenhard, Andrea and Jeffrey Berkowitz, Amy and Ryan Rostvold, David Donsky, Lauren Donsky, Shelly and Jeffrey Derdiger, Lisa and Jeffrey Raben, Brian and Melissa Borovay; great grandchildren, Brennan and Asher Pailet, Rachel and Lindsey Berkowitz, Haley and Brooke Derdiger, Austin and Blake Raben, and Matthew Borovay; numerous nieces and nephews and his special friend, Marcia Goidl. He was a native of Dallas and with his wife Frances founded the family business, Sterling Jewelry, which was a Dallas institution for over 40 years. "Mr. D" will not only be missed by his family, but also by the many people who fondly remember visiting Sterlings. Ervin touched so many lives by his overwhelming kindness and generosity. He was an avid sports fan, fisherman, golfer, accomplished cabinetmaker, and famous for his potato latkes. Ervin loved his family and community. Known affectionately as "PawPaw D" by his grandchildren and great grandchildren they shared a unique and loving bond. His greatest joys were celebrating holidays and special events with his entire family. Ervin was a past president of Congregation Shearith Israel, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Golden Acres, and Congregation Agudas Achim and was a founder of Solomon Schechter Academy. Ervin served on the Dallas City Planning Commission. He was a Shriner and a 32nd Degree Mason. He received numerous honors and awards because of his tireless devotion to many philanthropic causes including Israel Bonds and UJA. Memorial service is Wednesday, April 12, 2006, 10:00 am at Congregation Shearith Israel, 9401 Douglas at Walnut Hill Lane with burial following at Congregation Shearith Israel Cemetery, 4634 Dolphin Road, Dallas, TX. Rabbi William Gershon of Congregation Shearith Israel and Rabbi Stefan Weinberg of Congregation Anshai Torah officiating. Pallbearers are Jeffrey Berkowitz, Brian Borovay, Jeffrey Derdiger, David Pailet, Eric Pailet, Jeffrey Pailet, Kevin Pailet, and Jeffrey Raben. Honorary pallbearers are Alan Donsky, Paul Donsky, David Donsky, Ryan Rostvold and Nancy Lubar. The family wishes to thank Ervins caregivers, especially Tondala Smith, and nursing staff of American Hospice and the Plaza at the Edgemere who were so kind and helpful during his illness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Frances and Ervin Donsky Endowment Fund of The Levine Academy/A Solomon Schechter School, 18011 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75252; The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, 7800 Northaven, Dallas, TX 75230; Congregation Shearith Israel, 9401 Douglas Avenue, Dallas, TX 75225, Aaron Family JCC, 7900 Northaven, Dallas,TX 75230, and American Hospice, 1636 N. Hampton Ste. 220, Desoto, TX 75115 or a charity of your choice. Dignity Memorial Sparkman Hillcrest 7405 W. Northwest Hwy. Dallas (214) 363-5401
view all 14
Ervin Donsky's Timeline
| 1916 |
October 6, 1916
|
Dallas, Tx, Dallas, Texas, United States
Hebrew name: Yitzhak ben Yaacov. |
|
| 1940 |
1940
- 1948
Age 23
|
Nathan's Jewelers Brownwood, Tx, Brownwood, Texas, United States
|
|
| 1948 |
1948
- 1973
Age 31
|
Sterling Wholesale Jewelers, Dallas, Texas, United States
|
|
|
1948
Age 31
|
Kuhn's Wholesale Jewelers in Dallas, Tx, Dallas, Texas, United States
|
||
| 1961 |
1961
- 1990
Age 44
|
Sterling Jewelry & Dist. CoHouston Wholesale Jewelers, Dallas, Texas, United States
|