Oshawa's Wilson Furniture owner Bob Sherman dies
Bob Sherman of Wilson Furniture dies at age 80
by Reka Szeley Oshawa This Week
OSHAWA -- Oshawa residents said goodbye to a well-known member of the business community at Bob Sherman's funeral on Monday.
Mr. Sherman, who headed up Wilson Furniture for decades before his retirement, died at the age of 80 last Saturday.
"He died actually while he was having dinner; he hasn't been well, he's had various illnesses he's been struggling with," said Darryl Sherman of his father.
Bob Sherman is survived by his wife Helen, who is the daughter of Wilson Furniture founder Ed Wilson, and their three children: Darryl Sherman, Jory Sherman and Dani Robins, and three grandchildren.
Darryl Sherman said his father was born in Welland and moved to Oshawa after marrying his wife in 1953.
The couple met in Toronto on a double date, though they weren't each other's dates. The two couples on the date ended up swapping partners and out of it grew two successful marriages.
"The reason they moved to Oshawa was it was very, very hard to get housing in Toronto," said Darryl Sherman.
Bob Sherman came to Oshawa with a background in the clothing industry but when he began working for his wife's father, Ed Wilson, he started from the beginning.
"He started working on the trucks, he started delivering furniture for my grandfather and worked his way up through the business."
He took over the running of the business in the early 1960s. When he retired, he sold the business to his two sons.
Still, he would check in regularly. That's not surprising, given Bob Sherman's devotion to his family.
"His first love was family."
Darryl Sherman offers another example of his father's love for family. As a young man, he came from a family who had little and like many other young people saved up his money for a car.
"He bought the car and handed it over to his parents and I don't think they even knew how to drive and had to be taught."
Many will remember Bob Sherman for his good humour and positive attitude.
"My most favourite memory is he would always be telling a joke or a story and I can think of many, many places where he would fill a room with laughter with his stories," Darryl Sherman said.
At the funeral, five people speaking made the same remarks about his father, said Darryl Sherman.
"They all said he was a happy person, he loved to tell jokes and make others laugh, he had time for everyone and was willing to give his time and energy and help."
He also gave his time to the community and was a past Rotarian and past-president of Oshawa B'nai Brith and Beth Zion Synagogue. He was still the treasurer for B'nai Birth at the time of his death.
