Country Casual catalog CEO and Co-founder Ed Goldstein dies

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 9/7/2012 12:53:24 PM

Ed GoldsteinGAITHERSBURG, Md. - Ed Goldstein, 80, co-founder and CEO of Country Casual catalog, died peacefully at home and without pain on Aug. 18.
Goldstein and co-founder Bobbie Goldstein, his wife of 56 years, were familiar faces at the Casual Furniture Markets for many years. They founded the teak garden and site furniture catalog in 1977.
A Washington DC native, he attended The George Washington University and earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. He served in the Army and after returning, practiced pharmacy for a short while. He was an entrepreneur who preferred not to have a boss and loved to work outdoors. In 1960, he started a construction business called Precipitation, Inc., specializing in the installation of underground lawn sprinkler and irrigation systems for residential and commercial applications. He became an expert in the field. During the bicentennial celebration in the mid-1970s, Precipitation, Inc. installed irrigation systems in the landscapes of all the government buildings along Pennsylvania Avenue. He later expanded the scope of his underground work to include airport projects and parking lot lighting. After 25 years, he sold that business in 1985 to devote fulltime energy to helping grow the Country Casual furniture business. Young at heart, a problem solver, always curious, with a great sense of humor and optimistic outlook on life, he was highly respected by colleagues and vendors and will be sorely missed.
Condolences go out to his wife, Bobbie, and his son Dana, both of whom continue to run the business, as well as his other son, daughter and six grandsons. Memorial donations can be made to: Friends of the High Line, 529 West 20th St, Suite 8W, New York, NY 10011 or www.thehighline.org