Born in Dayton on Nov. 14, 1926, Mr. Lieberman was a World War II veteran who always said that the atomic bomb saved his life: in the summer of 1945, he was in the Philippines with troops preparing to invade Japan.
When he returned from the war, he opened the Morris Furniture Mart in 1947 with his father, Morris Lieberman. The family business — purchased by Mr. Lieberman’s son-in-law, Larry Klaben, in 1998 — has grown over the years to include 11 Morris Home Funishing stores in the Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus area.
“In these days of 140-character tweets, and Tinder, and Facebook friends, the relationships and loving friendships my dad and mom forged were extraordinary,” said Michael Lieberman, who spoke at his father’s funeral. “He was a sweet man, a kind man. Very upbeat and positive, very loyal to his friends and business associates. He gave people the benefit of the doubt, he gave second chances, and he inspired trust and loyalty in his Morris employees and customers.”
That was the case for George Watkins, who has driven a truck for Morris Furniture for more than 30 years. Watkins said his boss was a good judge of people who might hire someone just because of the way they smiled.
“He knew that person would represent the company in a good way,” said Watkins, who also said his employer could be a tough businessman when necessary.
“I respected him for that because a lot of people depended on him,” Watkins explained. “He was always there for his sister, and he talked about his parents a lot. He told me recently that when he got out of the army and got in the furniture business, he put more money into the business than his dad, but out of respect, he let his dad be the boss.”
Mr. Lieberman and his wife, Jean, had three children and were married for 63 years. For decades, they had dinner once a month with five other couples who remained lifelong friends. He was a leader of the Dayton Jewish community and former chairman of Covenant House Home for the Aged.
“He did not seek leadership roles for the power, he did not seek the spotlight at all and he was a very reluctant public speaker,” remembered Michael Lieberman. “He led because he really thought he could contribute, and he was chosen for leadership positions because he was trusted and others thought he would be fair and do a good job.”
Mr. Lieberman’s nine grandchildren also participated in the funeral service.
“From the moment Pop returned from WWII, he had a vision to create a quality business that could help him and his family live the American dream,” said granddaughter Sara Klaben. “This dream started by selling used furniture in the furniture district on Fifth Street. In that first store, Pop himself was the one who shoveled the coal for the furnace to make sure the store was warm and ready for every customer. Pop’s dedication, work ethic and resilience is the reason that Morris not only outlasted the six other stores on the street, but also continues to prosper today.”
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