Paul Segal

Ike and Mary Segal came here in the 1920s from Latvia and on August 8, 1925 they gave birth to Paul Segal. His childhood was spent in Malden Mass, a blue collar town outside of Boston.  When WW2 broke out he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a cadet where he was awarded his Bars and Wings. Upon graduation, He was sent to school and was named the Personal Equipment/Survival Officer where upon he became an instructor.

In 1945 upon receiving his discharge he worked as a salesman in the jewelry business for several years-eventually opening Pilgrim Jewelers in downtown Boston.

In 1950 He met and married his wife the former Ethel Cutler who came from Revere Mass, a Neighboring beach town. ---Together in seventeen years they built Pilgrim Jewelers into a thriving business.  In 1963 his building, that was on the outskirts of the proposed new government center, was taken from him by eminent domain.  Between the proceeds for the building and the cash generated from the liquidation sale, while still a young man, he felt that semi-retirement was an option. Having worked long hours in the retail business he decided that his goal could be achieved by moving to a warm climate and opening a wholesale diamond business.  He and Ethel made an exploratory trip to Arizona where he met a former Boston diamond dealer.  Because he was established Paul decided to form a partnership.  In order to protect the balance of his assets because Paul had more money, Paul incorporated the business.  After several weeks it became apparent that his partner was less than honest with a completely diverse idea of how to run a business.  After two months Paul walked away from the business. Because he had incorporated the company he could only get his investment in a protracted payout through attorneys. With no company or no job, he wrote to his former suppliers and got a job in New York with Dansk Designs as a salesman, where he became the top producer, eventually landing the top territory in New York City and the Caribbean Islands.  A number of years later a customer George Jensen, a very prestigious fifth avenue silver and gift company, approached him with a job as sales manager which he accepted, eventually rising to Vice President.

Some years later feeling it was time to go in business again, he and two partners developed the Pottery Barn stores which grew into a sizeable business and now is owned by William Sonoma.

Paul retained the wholesale division IDG marketing Limited which he sold at his retirement in 1993.

During his tenure in New York he was on the board of directors of the New York Gift Show and was President of the Intercontinental Designers Guild.

An avid golfer he was a member of the Ridgeway Country Club in White Plains New York.

In 1993 He moved to Boca Raton Florida, where he purchased a home in the Boca Woods Country Club, a golfing community with two championship golf courses.  He was active in the Jewish Federation of South Palm beach being named Man of the Year in 2006.

The Love of his Life Ethel Rena Segal, his wife of over 69 years preceded him in death. He is survived his daughter Carol Dee Birch, of Reading Massachusetts and his son,  Andrew John Segal of Huntsville Alabama Together with four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  He will be dearly missed.

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