Oscar A. Feferman

Oct 8, 1918 - May 14, 2005

OSCAR A. FEFERMAN, 86, died Saturday, May 14, 2005. Sarasota Bay Club, 1301 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida. Born in South Bend, Indiana in 1918, Oscar Feferman had a great sense of humor and was a never-ending source of dry quips.

He attracted friends easily and modestly referred to himself as "adorable." Mr. Feferman studied accounting at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1940 with a B.S., and received a Master's Degree there the following year. He worked in Chicago at a 4A accounting firm prior to enlisting in the US Army. He served in the Signal Corps in the South Pacific during World War II.

In 1942, he "twice" married his college sweetheart, Harriet Baker from Buffalo, NY; secretly for the first time in January by a Justice of the Peace, and then at a family wedding in Buffalo the following June. As he used to say, they were married for "63 long years."

After being discharged from the Army, he joined a women's apparel company in Buffalo, owned by his father-in-law, Louis Baker: the Russell Jay stores and the Joseph's stores. Both establishments began in the Broadway-Fillmore shopping neighborhood. Mr. Feferman oversaw the expansion of the Russell Jay store to the Thruway Plaza, and of Joseph's to downtown Delaware Avenue, the Northtown Plaza, and to the East Aurora Plaza. The Russell Jay stores were sold in the late 1950's and the Fefermans focused on growing Joseph's into upscale fashion boutiques.

Mr. Feferman also was instrumental in growing the Buffalo Mr. Donut "empire," including the real estate development associated with five properties. Following the sale of Joseph's in 1984, the Fefermans moved to Longboat Key, Florida, experiencing daily what Mr. Feterman often referred to as "another day in Paradise." He played golf as often as possible and tennis a few times a week.

In both cases, his games remained "from terrible to mid-terrible.® An avid golfer, Mr. Feferman took a golfing trip every spring with his poker buddies. He still played bridge regularly, winning dowry's for both his "favorite daughter and favorite granddaughter," both of whom continually reminded him that they were his only daughter and granddaughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Feferman made 2-month annual summer pilgrimages to Buffalo, enjoying pit stops at Ted's, Schwabl's, Bocce Pizza, The Place, and Mastman's, among many other favorites. In Buffalo, Mr. Feferman was a member ofthe Westwood Country Club, the Montefiore Club, Temple Beth Zion, and the Michigan Alumni Club. He was also a member of the Longboat Key Club.

Mr. Feferman is survived by his wife Harriet, of Sarasota; his son Richard (Ruby Bendersky), a lawyer in Albuquerque; a daughter Linda (David Axelrod), a filmmaker in Los Angeles, two grandchildren, Michael, 28, of Austin, Texas. Rebecca, 23, of Los Angeles; a brother, Dr. Martin E. Feferman (Carol) of Las Vegas; and a brother-in-law, Russell Baker (Ruthellen Bunis) of Buffalo.

Sources: Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com

12/27/2025 EJS