Marvin Danto
The Funeral was held at IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL on Thursday, 26 January 2012 at 2:00 PM. Rabbi Daniel B. Syme and Cantor Rachel Kalmowitz officiated. Click here to watch a video of the recorded service. Interment at Beth El Memorial Park, 28120 6 Mile Road, Livonia MI 48152.
The family of Marvin Danto will be gathering through the evening of Sunday, January 29 at the residence of James and Sandy Danto, 1730 Beechwood Way, Bloomfield Hills Mi 48302 . The phone number is 248-338-4277. Religious Services will be held at 7:30 PM. Thursday and Sunday Evenings. The family requests visits from 1:00 PM.-5:00 PM. on Friday, 1:00 PM.-9:00 PM. on Sunday. Family members include: Beloved Husband of the late Betty Danto; Cherished Father of Joanne Danto (Arnold Weingarden), James (Sandy) Danto and Gail Danto (Art Roffey); Loving Grandfather of Jennifer (Noah) Shore, Evan Danto, Lindsay Danto, Jessica Hutcheson and Brian Hutcheson; Proud Great Grandfather of Owen and Blakely Shore; Also survived by Sandy Danto's children , Aaron (Julie) Feinberg, Tovah Feinberg and Josh Feinberg; Brother of Elaine (the late Gerson) Lacoff; Also survived by a loving group of devoted caregivers. Marvin Danto had a successful career as an engineer, furniture retailer, real estate developer, community leader and philanthropist. Entering the Army as a Private, he spent four years in the service, 2 1/2 of them overseas. During this time, he was elevated to Captain before returning to Michigan to become Assistant Manager of Englander Furniture Shops where he was later promoted to Manager, Buyer, Treasurer and ultimately President. All of this took place between 1945 and 1988. From 1968 until 1973, Mr. Danto was CEO, COB and major stockholder of Englander-Triangle, Inc. This eight-store fine furniture and interior design firm flourished under his leadership. Englanders was twice selected as "Outstanding Store in America" by the National Association of Casual Furniture Manufacturers. Mr. Danto also served as a director of the National Home Furnishings Association, a 16,000-store organization. He was later elected President and ultimately named Chairman in 1971. He represented the furniture retail industry in Washington, DC and met with two U.S. Secretaries of Commerce over the years. In 1975, Mr. Danto anticipated an entirely new direction for the fine furniture industry and, acting on his instincts, broke ground on Michigan Design Center (MDC) in Troy, Michigan. A lot of research and planning went into the development of MDC to improve the functionality of the design center concept. As a result MDC was the first one-floor design center in the country, complete with interior corridors, abundant parking and circular traffic patterns for clients. The doors to MDC opened for business in 1977. Since that time, Mr. Danto helped it to grow into the 210,000+ square foot success story that it is today. In 1982 he envisioned a totally new concept of a "Design Center Campus" and went on to create the 775,000 square foot Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA), in Dania, Florida. DCOTA is the largest freestanding design center in the world and is often credited as being the most successful facility of its kind. A Sheraton Hotel and office building were also built to complete the campus. Mr. Danto sold DCOTA in June 2005. Mr Danto was also CEO and COB of Danto Investment Company, Michigan Design Center and Broward International Commerce Center. Active in civic and professional organizations, Mr. Danto has served as President of the World Association of Merchandise Marts (WAMM), Treasurer of the American Craft Council Board and Executive Committees, served on the Advisory Board of the Ringling Museum, and on the board of the Cranbrook Art Academy and Museum. Mr. Danto was a member of Alexis de Tocqueville Society (United Way) and sat on the board of the Modern Decorative Arts Committee of the Detroit Institute of Arts Founders Society. In addition, he was a Board of Trustee member for the College of Creative Studies, served on the Executive Committee of the Board of the Sarasota Ballet and was an advisor to the American Craft Museum in New York. Mr. Danto had also served in a number of positions with the Jewish Federation of Detroit and, for many years, was on the Board of the Jewish Home for the Aged. Because of this long association, he and Mrs. Danto funded the supporting grant for the Danto Family Home for the Elderly in West Bloomfield, Michigan. From its inception, the Dantos funded "Dance the Next Generation" and the "Danto Center for the Sarasota Ballet of Florida", which for the past twenty years has taught indigent children to dance. They have also financed a program at the Ringling Museum of Art, located in Sarasota, Florida, to teach youngsters to enjoy and gain knowledge of the arts. Further, they funded renovations to what is now called the Marvin and Betty Danto Lecture Hall during the most recent Detroit Institute of the Art expansion. The family foundation continues to underwrite public lectures held there. Mr. Danto donated the seed money to augment state funds towards the creation of the Wayne State University's Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center. The EDC is a 82,500 square foot R&D facility dedicated to advancing an interactive, academic-business model to promote ground-breaking research in the fields of alternative energy, nanotechnology, and smart sensors. The facility symbolizes the promise of a state economy based on sustainable energy technology, health care and biotech innovation. A father of three children, grandfather of five, and great grandfather of two, Marvin was active with calisthenics, tennis and golf. He collected American Craft that is art, and had an outstanding collection of Post-World War II Contemporary Art Glass, as well as old French Cameo Glass, and Contemporary and Impressionist Art. He has gifted numerous pieces of American Craft to the Detroit Institute of Art. It is suggested that those who wish to further honor the memory of Marvin Danto may do so by making a contribution to: Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy NetworkClick to Visit Charity Website University of Michigan Cardiovascular CenterClick to Visit Charity Website |