Harvey C. Supowitz

A Johnstown entrepreneur, community leader and philanthropist Harvey Supowitz died Sunday evening in Boynton Beach, Florida. Supowitz was born in Pittsburgh on August 27, l928. He spent most of his early and later years in the greater Johnstown area. The roots he planted grew to not only support his family but also to assist many charitable organizations in the local, regional and national communities. In 1969, Supowitz founded Harvey's Supply Company, an industrial supply business then located at 225 Washington Street. Over the next thirty years, he expanded the business into an enterprise of more than 60 employees. According to wife, Katherine Supowitz, "He valued each employee as someone akin to family." "His fondest memories were of the lunches he held every Friday in the back of his store," said his daughter, Beth Gumerove. "He loved the camaraderie with his customers almost more than the actual commerce that went on up front. He loved people and I think it was mutual," she said. The advisory roles he accepted and the awards he received speak for the esteem in which he was held. In 1998, he received the Distinguished Citizen's Award from Penn's Woods Council, Boy Scouts. His work with the scouting movement raised money for academic and vocational student scholarships that are awarded annually. He headed local drives for the United Jewish Appeal and the Israeli Bond campaign. He was honored by the Salvation Army with the Others Award after he and his wife started a perpetual trust to supplement the organization's mission. When accepting the award he said, "They are an army by design that happens to be in the wrong place at the right time." He was a member of Johnstown Lodge 538 and The Valley of Altoona Jaffa Shrine. He served on the Ameriserv Bank Advisory Board and the Beth Shalom Synagogue Board. He enjoyed his membership at Sunnehanna Country Club. Supowitz is survived by his wife of 72 years, his daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Barry Gumerove; his son Lee (Butch) Supowitz and Sandra; five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  Friends will be received Monday from 10:00 until time of funeral service at 11:00 at John Henderson Co. Funeral Home. Rabbi Irvin Brandwein, officiating. Interment at Grandview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies at 216 Franklin Street, Suite 400, Johnstown, Pa., 15901 or online at cfalleghenies.org/cfa-funds/salvation-army-supowitz-fund for the Salvation Army Supowitz fund.

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