Herbert (Herb) Furman was born in Detroit, Michigan on April 12, 1928. He was the son of Samuel (Shlomo Lazar) (z”l) and Lillian (Leah) Mark Furman (z”l). When he was approximately 8 years old, the family moved to Highland Park, MI. Herb graduated from Highland Park High School in 1945. He continued his education at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1949 with a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering and again in 1950 with a Bachelors of Science in Metallurgical Engineering. He pursued a further degree from the University of Michigan Law School, graduating in 1952 as a Juris Doctor with Honors and a member of the Law Review. He spent his career as a practicing Patent Attorney.
Herb began his legal career with General Motors in their Patent Department. During his first year in practice, Herb filed more patent applications than any attorney had ever completed. He eventually went into litigation and settled numerous multimillion-dollar lawsuits for General Motors, both in the US and internationally. He has five personal inventions that were also patented and utilized on production cars by General Motors. Herb retired in 1991 as Assistant Director of the Patent Department for General Motors. He also served a term as President of the Michigan Patent Law Association.
In 1950, Herb met Joyce, who came to the University Michigan as a freshman from New York City. They became a pair and married in August of 1954. Herb was a devoted father to his three wonderful children, Bruce Furman (Karen), Steven Furman (Jennie), and Debbie Furman (Jimmy). He was also a dedicated grandfather to his five delightful grandchildren, Samantha, Aryeh, Jonathan, Talya and Annika.
Herb’s extended family was very close and spent much time together as everyone lived within a few blocks of each other when their children were growing up. Herb’s extended family included Seymour (z”l), his older brother and his wife Sylvia (z”l), Thelma Milgrom (z”l), Herb’s younger sister, and her husband Lou Milgrom (z”l), and Joyce’s sister Sivia Eilender (z”l) and her husband Marvin Eilender (z”l)
Herb enjoyed and excelled at both golf and tennis, and spent many hours on the links and the courts, especially after retirement. He also was an avid fitness buff, and enjoyed traveling with Joyce and their friends. He visited well over 80 countries and stood on every continent except Antarctica.
Summers were spent with Joyce, their children, and the Milgrom family at Sleepy Hollow Resort in South Haven, Michigan. The Furmans also spent summers at the University of Michigan Alumni Family camp on Walloon Lake, with their children, and later their grandchildren, having all three generations celebrating together.
Herb and Joyce spent many years as “snowbirds” at Tara Golf and County Club in southwest Florida, becoming permanent residents in 2005. In 2017, they moved to a senior residence in Laguna Hills, California to be near family.
Herb passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home surrounded by family on July 15, 2019.
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