Maury Lee Popowich, born on December 28, 1943 to Julius and Esther Popowich in Philadelphia, PA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 5.
The youngest of five siblings, Maury grew up in the Feltonville section of Philadelphia at D and the Boulevard. His parents emigrated from Romania and Hungary in the early 1920s to make a better life for themselves, and they were set-up together in Philadelphia. Maury came much later than his siblings, a happy surprise that earned him the middle name “Lee” to make a play on “Merrily” when his name was spoken. He went to Central High School and then Syracuse University, before transferring to Temple University to help his father and brother in the family’s watchband business.
After school growing up, Maury and his siblings worked in their father’s shoe and leather shop on Sansom Street. As a business major at Temple University, Maury decided early to join his father and older brother David in running the family watchband business full-time after graduation. Maury and his brother David (who predeceased him) grew Regal Industries business into one of the largest watchband companies in the country, based at 6th/Spring Garden Streets, traveling frequently to Hong Kong from where they imported many of their products. Maury’s job was a passion. He was a shrewd businessman, expert negotiator and a skilled salesman earning business at Walmart, Kmart, CVS, Rite Aid and more. Knowing what he wanted, he stood firm on an offer and never budged even if it meant losing a sale, a house, or a boat or waiting for years for someone to come around to meet his terms. He worked 6 days a week, leaving the house at 6am, and returning by 6pm for family dinner. He was very hands on, going up and down ladders in the warehouse pulling stock, organizing shipments, and putting his three young children to work when they joined him “at the factory” on weekends. Foreseeing changes to come in the industry, under his leadership, the business sold in 1995 to Charthouse International. Upon retirement, Maury split his time for warmer weather between West Palm Beach, FL and Margate City, NJ.
A devoted father of three, Maury taught his children and grandchildren to fish and there are wonderful (and disgusting) shared memories of cleaning the fish together and cooking them up at his beloved Margate home for wonderful big family dinners. Summer weekends at the beach with his family was what drove him to work as hard as he did. He taught his children the importance of family and of being together whenever possible.
A lifelong sport fisherman, Maury had a deep passion for the sea, waking early in the summer to take his boat out in Margate with lifelong best friends to the “Canyon” where the marlin would bite. Tuna, bluefish, flounder, Jersey wahoos, even the occasional shark, were challenges to overcome. He didn’t eat the fish himself, but loved the art of the catch and he would either sell his catch to local jersey shore restaurants or gift them to family members for a fresh local dinner.
A member of Temple Adath Israel synagogue with his family in Merion, Maury was active in synagogue activities as a board member and the family has fond memories of the Men’s Club breakfasts they attended every Sunday morning. He supported causes important to his family and friends, and myriad Jewish causes including Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Maury was no stranger to the Blackjack tables in Atlantic City, beginning with the Golden Nugget and more recently the Borgata. Upon his retirement, he referred to trips to the casino as “going to work” whether he won or lost. Poker and blackjack subsidized gas for his sportfishing boats over the years.
His family was most important to Maury. He will be sorely missed by his children Jessie Popowich, Daniel Popowich, Leah Popowich (Andrew Hohns), five grandchildren Julius, Leo, Josiah, Luisa, and Isaac, along with two granddogs and one grandcat. He is also survived by his loving siblings, Leonard Popowich, Sylvia Pomerantz (Sol Pomerantz), and Cissy Serling (Jimmy Serling). He was pre-deceased by his older brother and business partner David Popowich (Lorraine Popowich).
Funeral will be Monday, May 9th, 12pm at Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown, followed by Shiva hosted by his children at the family home in Margate City, NJ. In his memory, donations may be made to the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society, or a meaningful charity of the donor’s choice.
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