OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

G

orman’s Home Furnishings 
& Interior Design’s longtime 
chairman Bernard “Bernie” 
Moray died on Aug. 20, 2021, the date 
of his 100th birthday. He passed away 
at his Franklin home surrounded by 
family.
A native Detroiter, Moray was 
known for his kind heart, generous 
spirit, love of family and an irrepress-
ible sense of humor — a magical com-
bination that led to enduring friend-
ships and alliances, both professionally 
and personally.
“He was not only liked, he was 
loved,
” said Tom Lias, Gorman’s CEO.
Lias said he felt lucky to have 
worked with Moray for 38 
years, celebrating the store’s 
75th anniversary together in 
2015. He said Moray kept up 
with industry news and still 
diligently followed the furni-
ture industry.
Moray’s generosity of spirit 
was evident in how he treated 
everyone in the industry as friends, 
even his peers at rivaling compa-
nies, according to Lias. Attendees of 
North Carolina furniture trade shows, 
which showcase the latest in furniture 
fashions, would gather afterward for 
dinner and a chance to be regaled by 
Moray with his stories and jokes.
“He kept people crying for an hour,
” 
Lias said. “He was the Buddy Hackett 
of the furniture industry. People were 
drawn to him.
”
A graduate of what is now the 
Mike Ilitch School of Business at 
Wayne State University, Moray 
began his career in the industry at 
Robinson’s Furniture in 1949. In 1965, 
he purchased Gorman’s Furniture 
and, in 1966, opened Gorman’s 
Contemporary Gallery in Southfield. 
Over the years, he grew the business 
to include locations in Southfield, 
Troy and Novi, with a warehouse and 
clearance center in Farmington Hills.
Based on his contributions to the 
development of the home furnishing 
industry, his innovations, creativity 
and his philanthropy, in 2017, Moray, 

at age 96, was inducted into the 
American Home Furnishings Hall 
of Fame, which he considered “the 
pinnacle of my career.
” Mr. Moray 
was named the National Home 
Furnishings Association’s Retailer 
of the Year in 1993 and received the 
Masters of the Game: Furniture Today 
Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. 
He won the Distinguished Alumni 
Award from the Mike Ilitch School of 
Business in 1999.

CHARITY WORK
His generosity extended to wide-rang-
ing philanthropy over the years, and 
he often hosted events in his stores 
that benefited nonprofit orga-
nizations, including Children’s 
Hospital of Michigan, Toys for 
Tots, Arc of Oakland County, 
the American Cancer Society, 
Haven, a comprehensive pro-
gram for domestic violence 
and sexual assault victims, and 
Friendship Circle, which pro-
vides support for families of children 
with special needs.
Additionally, he served as an execu-
tive committee member of the Interior 
Design Society, chairman of the Allied 
Jewish Campaign’s furniture division 
and visitors board member of the 
WSU Business School.
Survivors include Muriel Moray, 
his wife of 60 years; his children, 
Susan Moray (Dr. Robert Stein) and 
John (Monica) Moray. His son, James 
“Jamey” Moray, preceded him in 
death in 2010. Grandchildren include 
Lauren Harrison, Jared Pazner and 
Livia Moray. Bernie Moray was the 
brother of the late Marion (the late 
Harold) Robinson and uncle to 
Donald Robinson, Billy (Julie) Stern, 
Gail (Joel) Alpert and Meg (Steve) 
Cicurel. 
The funeral and interment were 
at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in 
Birmingham, officiated by Rabbis 
Harold Loss and Levi Shemtov and 
Cantor Penny Steyer. Arrangements 
were by Ira Kaufman Chapel. 

A Long, 
Distinguished Life

Bernie Moray

80 | SEPTEMBER 2 • 2021 

SEYMOUR 
ADELSON, 
M.D., 95, 
passed away 
on Aug. 10, 
2021. 
He served as a corporal 
in the U.S. Army during 
the Second World War 
and was a heavy machine 
gunner on the front line in 
Europe; he also served in 
the Philippines. 
Dr. Adelson earned his 
bachelor’s degree from 
Wayne State University and 
graduated from University 
of Michigan Medical 
School in 1951. He prac-
ticed allergy and internal 
medicine for 35 years and 
was a clinical associate 
professor at Wayne State 
University Medical School. 
He served as chief of medi-
cine at Crittenton Hospital 
and chief of allergy at Sinai 
Hospital. After leaving 
private practice, he worked 
for 12 years as a medical 
policy consultant at Blue 
Cross. 
 Dr. Adelson was active 
in the community, serv-
ing as vice president of 
Congregation Beth Shalom 
and a volunteer docent at 
the Holocaust Memorial 
Center. Dr. and Mrs. 
Adelson were patrons of 
the arts and have gifted 
fine art to five Michigan 
museums. After retire-
ment, Dr. Adelson was a 
volunteer at Beaumont 
Hospital photography 
department, where he 
Photoshopped medical 
images for doctors; he also 
returned to college and 
took courses in subjects as 
diverse as art history and 
computer science, in which 
he was the only senior 
citizen in a class of under-

graduates. Dr. Adelson 
was a loving and devoted 
husband and father, and he 
is remembered as gentle, 
kind and inspiring, a true 
gentleman and scholar as 
well as a dedicated physi-
cian.
He is the son of the late 
William and the late Fanny 
Adelson; he is survived by 
his beloved and devoted 
wife of 61 years, Barbara; 
sons, Barry (Amy) and 
Daniel; brother, Irwin 
(Janet) Adelson, M.D. He 
was the brother-in-law of 
the late Sanford (the late 
Rita) Kaplan, and uncle of 
Jill Kaplan and Kenneth 
Kaplan.
Private graveside 
services were held. 
Contributions may 
be made to Holocaust 
Memorial Center, 28123 
Orchard Lake Road, 
Farmington Hills, MI 
48334, holocaustcenter.
org; or to a charity of one’s 
choice. Arrangements by 
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

MILTON 
DUNN, 89, of 
Walled Lake, 
died Aug. 24, 
2021. 
He loved to 
sing Frank Sinatra songs 
and dance the jitterbug 
with his wife, Beverly. 
Mr. Dunn is survived 
by his son, Steven Dunn 
of Israel; daughters and 
sons-in-law, Susan and 
Bruce Fershtman of 
Southfield, Marsha and 
William Harris of Sterling 
Heights; grandchildren, 
Moshe Dunn, Elana and 
Reuven Rennert, Rivka 
and Yossi Sherman, Chava 
Dunn, Jordan Fershtman 
and Jessica Argiero, Daniel 

