QUOTE
irsch, 92, Dies At His House
Founder of dealership recalled as ‘generous,’ ‘a real gentleman’ by his family and friends.
Dave Hawk
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - Joe Hirsch, founder of Hirsch Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, died Wednesday at home. He was 92.
Arrangements are pending at Carlisle Funeral Home, which reported he died of natural causes.
According to friends, he was found unresponsive in his home by a caretaker who arrived there Wednesday.
He had lived alone since his wife, Evelyn, died April 22 last year.
Dennis Hirsch, Joe Hirsch's son, described his father as "extremely generous, but he was very quiet about it."
Dennis Hirsch is president and general manager of the dealership.
Dennis, who holds a law degree, practiced for a short time then joined his father in the business.
"My dad encouraged education," Dennis said.
He could take a week to describe what his father taught him about doing business, Dennis said.
"He believed everybody should win in a business deal," he added.
He spoke about his dad's intelligence and analytical abilities, both contributing to his recognized mastery of both bridge and chess.
"We played bridge with (Evelyn and Joe Hirsch)," recalled Sylvia Bankoff. Sylvia and her late husband Dr. Milton Bankoff were close friends to the Hirsches.
At bridge, "They were so much better than we were," she said, and chuckled. "It was embarrassing."
Dennis recalled that his father enjoyed feeding ducks and geese on a nearby pond. "And he hand-fed a muskrat. In fact, it would tug on his trousers, looking for food." Muskrats are not known as people-friendly creatures.
"He loved nature and he never ever wanted to see an animal hurt," Dennis recalled.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, with a degree in engineering, Joe Hirsch served in the Navy during World War II. He was in charge of aircraft maintenance in the Aleutian Islands.
Later, he worked as an engineer in various parts of the country.
He bought the automobile dealership, then just a Ford dealership, on Jan. 4, 1968. At that time, it was at 3515 Franklin St.
On May 28, 1971, he moved it to its present location. In January of 1985, the dealership bought the Lincoln-Mercury franchise.
Milt Dabagia, a salesman at the dealership, and Hirsch's close friend for 40 years, said, "He was independent, living on his own, still driving a car, and in pretty good health."
"Whatever I learned that was good about this business I learned from Joe," Dabagia said.
"His epitaph should be 'He was a good guy,'" he added. "His wife was like a sister to me, and Joe was like a brother to me. He was a very kind gentleman and a thoughtful man, and he'll be dearly missed."
That's the description Sylvia Bankoff applies to Hirsch.
"He was a real gentleman," Bankoff said.
"We loved to be with (Joe and Evelyn Hirsch)," Bankoff said. "They were fun to be with," she added.
The Hirsches often entertained luminaries who spoke at the Sinai Forum.
In December 1998, they gave a dinner for Camelia Anwar Sadat, daughter of Anwar Sadat, former president of Egypt and recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize.
Ron Strauss and his wife, Bobbi, were close to Hirsch, and he remembers him as someone interested in computers when he already was beyond retirement age.
Ed Frank, a member of the Michigan City Lions Club, called Hirsch's house Wednesday to offer him a ride to the club's weekly luncheon. Dennis Hirsch answered the telephone.
"He was an amazing guy. He was a graduate engineer and started selling cars as a part-time job and that's how he got into the auto business," Frank said. "For a guy up in years, he was very sharp and knew the stock market and current events and was well read. He started an investment club at the senior center, played bridge and taught computers to the computer club."
"He was a well rounded guy who had a multitude of interests, and I think that's why he lived so long," Frank said. "He liked people, and liked to talk to people, and we'll miss him."
Contact Dave Hawk at dhawk@thenewsdispatch.com.
Reporter Deborah Sederberg contributed to this report.
Founder of dealership recalled as ‘generous,’ ‘a real gentleman’ by his family and friends.
Dave Hawk
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - Joe Hirsch, founder of Hirsch Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, died Wednesday at home. He was 92.
Arrangements are pending at Carlisle Funeral Home, which reported he died of natural causes.
According to friends, he was found unresponsive in his home by a caretaker who arrived there Wednesday.
He had lived alone since his wife, Evelyn, died April 22 last year.
Dennis Hirsch, Joe Hirsch's son, described his father as "extremely generous, but he was very quiet about it."
Dennis Hirsch is president and general manager of the dealership.
Dennis, who holds a law degree, practiced for a short time then joined his father in the business.
"My dad encouraged education," Dennis said.
He could take a week to describe what his father taught him about doing business, Dennis said.
"He believed everybody should win in a business deal," he added.
He spoke about his dad's intelligence and analytical abilities, both contributing to his recognized mastery of both bridge and chess.
"We played bridge with (Evelyn and Joe Hirsch)," recalled Sylvia Bankoff. Sylvia and her late husband Dr. Milton Bankoff were close friends to the Hirsches.
At bridge, "They were so much better than we were," she said, and chuckled. "It was embarrassing."
Dennis recalled that his father enjoyed feeding ducks and geese on a nearby pond. "And he hand-fed a muskrat. In fact, it would tug on his trousers, looking for food." Muskrats are not known as people-friendly creatures.
"He loved nature and he never ever wanted to see an animal hurt," Dennis recalled.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, with a degree in engineering, Joe Hirsch served in the Navy during World War II. He was in charge of aircraft maintenance in the Aleutian Islands.
Later, he worked as an engineer in various parts of the country.
He bought the automobile dealership, then just a Ford dealership, on Jan. 4, 1968. At that time, it was at 3515 Franklin St.
On May 28, 1971, he moved it to its present location. In January of 1985, the dealership bought the Lincoln-Mercury franchise.
Milt Dabagia, a salesman at the dealership, and Hirsch's close friend for 40 years, said, "He was independent, living on his own, still driving a car, and in pretty good health."
"Whatever I learned that was good about this business I learned from Joe," Dabagia said.
"His epitaph should be 'He was a good guy,'" he added. "His wife was like a sister to me, and Joe was like a brother to me. He was a very kind gentleman and a thoughtful man, and he'll be dearly missed."
That's the description Sylvia Bankoff applies to Hirsch.
"He was a real gentleman," Bankoff said.
"We loved to be with (Joe and Evelyn Hirsch)," Bankoff said. "They were fun to be with," she added.
The Hirsches often entertained luminaries who spoke at the Sinai Forum.
In December 1998, they gave a dinner for Camelia Anwar Sadat, daughter of Anwar Sadat, former president of Egypt and recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize.
Ron Strauss and his wife, Bobbi, were close to Hirsch, and he remembers him as someone interested in computers when he already was beyond retirement age.
Ed Frank, a member of the Michigan City Lions Club, called Hirsch's house Wednesday to offer him a ride to the club's weekly luncheon. Dennis Hirsch answered the telephone.
"He was an amazing guy. He was a graduate engineer and started selling cars as a part-time job and that's how he got into the auto business," Frank said. "For a guy up in years, he was very sharp and knew the stock market and current events and was well read. He started an investment club at the senior center, played bridge and taught computers to the computer club."
"He was a well rounded guy who had a multitude of interests, and I think that's why he lived so long," Frank said. "He liked people, and liked to talk to people, and we'll miss him."
Contact Dave Hawk at dhawk@thenewsdispatch.com.
Reporter Deborah Sederberg contributed to this report.