Media - Documenting Maine Jewry

JAMES STRIAR -- OBITUARY

James Striar, 68, 118 Maple Street, Bangor philanthropist and textile industrialist, died of a heart attack Thursday noon in Miami. Mr. Striar, who had a coronary about six years ago, had been spending the winter in Miami.He was one of the most prominent of World Jewry. Mr. Striar was born in Russia and came to Bangor when 11 years old, following the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was educated in the Bangor schools and at the age of 15 began buying waste, first from mills in Maine and then expanding his business to the New England area. In a few short years he began to be a leading figure in the wool waste business in the New England region. By 1910 he had amassed sufficient resources to purchase a small empty plant in Bangor in association with his father, David P. Striar. Dr. Striar expanded his business to Brewer and Old Town plants. In 1936 he organized the Eastland Woolen mill at Corinna and specialized in the manufacture of melton cloth and materials for children’s ski suits.In later years, Mr. Striar founded and organized the Basin Mills at Ayer’s Island. Orono, and the Striar Textile Mill, also at Ayer’s Island, and the Ski-Land Woolen Mill at Clinton. More recently he had purchased the SFA Maxfield Company in Bangor for wool processing. He was a director and substantial stockholder in the Newport Trust Company. Mr. Striar was a member of the President’s Council of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine a director of Pine Tree Lodge of B’nai B’rith; a director of the Zionist Organization of America; and a director of Hapoel Hamizracht, a prominent Jewish organization. He was noted for his gifts to charity, but no one knew who gave them, and many a young man starting out was given financial assistance to see him through a trying period. Mr. Striar never refused to donate to any worthy cause. Besides his wife, Mrs. Sarah Striar, he is survived by three sons, Louis Striar, Bernard Striar, and Max Striar, all of Bangor; by two daughters, Mrs. Howard Kominsky of Bangor and Mrs. Donald Menaker of Baltimore, MD.; by three brothers, Gordon R. Striar of Bangor, Randolph W. Striar of Boston, and Max G. Striar of Worcester, Mass.

Thank you to Beth Abraham Cemetery Assn for the information

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JAMES STRIAR -- OBITUARY