MAX FRIEDMAN, of Boone, North Carolina, and formerly of North Miami, Florida, and Hound Ears Club, Blowing Rock, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2011, of complications from a fall suffered the morning after his 100th birthday celebration (and the celebration of his 67th wedding anniversary), which took place on May 23, 2011 and was attended by over 50 friends and family.

Max is survived by his loving wife, Ingrid, his son Nicholas R. Friedman and daughter-in-law Mary Brooks Friedman, his grandson Nick D. Friedman [all of Watauga County] and his niece Kathleen Parums of Winnipeg, Canada.

Max was born in Berlin, Germany in 1911, where he began a career in real estate and industrial management, but was forced in 1938 to flee the persecution of Jewish citizens. Except for his youngest sister (who predeceased him), no other members of his family survived the Holocaust. Max tried in 1938 to enter the United States, but like many other Jewish refugees, he was turned away. Max arrived in Colombia, South America, in 1938, without speaking a word of Spanish, but within a few years established himself as the manager or co-owner of a variety of successful industries. In Colombia he met and married the love of his life, his wife Ingrid, and where their son Nicholas was born.

In 1952, with his wife and 5 year old son and his beloved mother-in-laws (Flora Rosenthal and Dr. Max Rosenthal), he realized his dream to come to the United States. When he arrived in Miami, Florida as the sole primary support of five persons. He spoke not a word of English. Within a short time, he began a one-man business making small household furniture using laminated plastic, which until then had primarily only been used for dinette table tops and some kitchen counter tops. In the 1950's, before air conditioning and with the high humidity of South Florida, his products quickly became popular and his business expanded. First as President of Speedcraft Furniture and later as President of General Mica Corporation (as well as affiliates Wm. Brenner Furniture, House of Rattan, and Metal Dimensions), Max became a leader in the furniture business. At one time he co-owned and managed the largest furniture factories in South Florida with over 210 employees.

His innovations included bending laminated plastics into curved forms and creating high end custom laminated furniture for homes, offices, hotels, and manufactured exclusive lines for such well known companies as Sears and Bloomingdales. He furnished hotels throughout the North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean. In 1979-80, he served as President of the Florida Association of Furniture Manufacturers, where he remains the only person ever named a Life Time Board Member. He was also an Industry Colleague of the National Home fashions League. At one time his companies had showrooms in Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, High Point, the Chicago Furniture Mart, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Los Angeles.


In 1984 he and his company were recognized by the City of North Miami as the "Big Business of the Year", he was a member of the Century Club of the North Dade YMCA, he received the Lion of Judah Award for his contributions to Israel Bond giving, and he was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International as well as a Rotary Benefactor. He was a lifelong Rotarian and an Honorary member of both the Boone Rotary Club and the North Miami Rotary Club.

Max continued his charitable giving here in Boone, together with his wife and the Friedman family. He helped raise funds for Watauga Medical Center (Appalachian Regional Health Care), to Rotary charities, to the building fund of the Boone Jewish Community for the construction of a Temple of the High Country, as well as helping to establish the Friedman Family Endowment for Appalachian Summer Festival.

Funeral services for Max Friedman will be conducted Thursday, July 7, 2011, promptly at 2:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be Rabbi Dr. Andrew Ettin. This will be a closed casket ceremony.

There will be a reception for family and friends, following the services, at Hampton Funeral Service.

Honoring the wishes of Max and the Friedman family, please do not send any flowers or food to the family. Persons wishing to do so may make a gift in his memory to either the Friedman Family Endowment for Appalachian Summer Festival, the Appalachian Regional Health Care Foundation, or to Boone Sunrise Rotary Club Charities, c/o Boone Sunrise Rotary, or any charity of their own personal choice.

Online condolences may be sent to the Friedman family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com.

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.