Obituary for Norman Shillman
Norman Shillman, of Baltimore, MD, passed away on Sunday, January 1st, 2023 at the age of 95. Norman grew up in the Forest Park-Ashburton neighborhood and attended the “A” Course at Poly. His education at MIT, interrupted by his Naval service in the Korean War, eventually resulted in a BS in Economics.
Norman worked as an executive in a family business, Shillcraft, for over 40 years. It was the first company in the U.S. and Canada to offer the handicraft of latch hooking rugs and wall hangings. He most enjoyed developing the catalog business, using early IBM computers to help the business grow, and overseeing the construction of the Shillcraft office building at 500 North Calvert Street.
From his retirement until age 90, Norman was active in his local community association.
Norman met his beloved wife of 66 years, Joy, on a blind date. To Norman, his wife and children always came first, and nothing was more important than family. His generosity, kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor were apparent to all who knew him.
According to Norman, “More than anything about me, I want people to know how lucky I was to have such a great life, and how much I appreciated it.”
Norman is survived by his wife, Joy Shillman (nee Abrams); adoring children, Caren B. (Bruce) Hoffberger, Susan (Howard) Weinstein, Ronald (Connie) Shillman, and Robin (Jay) Rosenblum; grandchildren, Melissa (Jay) Epelman, Brian Weinstein (Kelsey Scherer), Jacob Rosenblum, Michael Rosenblum, Eli Shillman, Justin Shillman, Corie Hoffberger, and Bret Hoffberger (fiancée, Natalie Cleghorn); great-grandson, Rowen, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Selma (Edward) Zimmerman and Sara (Dr. Leonard) Berger; and parents, Clara and Albert Shillman.
Services are private. Please omit flowers. Contributions in his memory may be sent to Beth El Congregation, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, or Gilchrist Hospice Care.
Norman worked as an executive in a family business, Shillcraft, for over 40 years. It was the first company in the U.S. and Canada to offer the handicraft of latch hooking rugs and wall hangings. He most enjoyed developing the catalog business, using early IBM computers to help the business grow, and overseeing the construction of the Shillcraft office building at 500 North Calvert Street.
From his retirement until age 90, Norman was active in his local community association.
Norman met his beloved wife of 66 years, Joy, on a blind date. To Norman, his wife and children always came first, and nothing was more important than family. His generosity, kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor were apparent to all who knew him.
According to Norman, “More than anything about me, I want people to know how lucky I was to have such a great life, and how much I appreciated it.”
Norman is survived by his wife, Joy Shillman (nee Abrams); adoring children, Caren B. (Bruce) Hoffberger, Susan (Howard) Weinstein, Ronald (Connie) Shillman, and Robin (Jay) Rosenblum; grandchildren, Melissa (Jay) Epelman, Brian Weinstein (Kelsey Scherer), Jacob Rosenblum, Michael Rosenblum, Eli Shillman, Justin Shillman, Corie Hoffberger, and Bret Hoffberger (fiancée, Natalie Cleghorn); great-grandson, Rowen, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Selma (Edward) Zimmerman and Sara (Dr. Leonard) Berger; and parents, Clara and Albert Shillman.
Services are private. Please omit flowers. Contributions in his memory may be sent to Beth El Congregation, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, or Gilchrist Hospice Care.