Samuel Kaplan

Charlotte - Samuel Kaplan, 91, of Cornelius, NC, passed peacefully on Monday, November 14, 2022. Arriving in Charlotte from Havana, Cuba in 1961, Samuel established a hosiery manufacturing business with his family, which they successfully ran for 60 years. Starting from a rented single bay warehouse in South Charlotte, the business grew to become one of the country’s largest private label hosiery manufacturers with factories eventually employing 600 workers.

Samuel also had a keen interest in real estate. Two of the former factories are now popular entertainment destinations, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and historic Optimist Hall.

Samuel was a past president of Temple Israel of Charlotte and a decades-long supporter of Chabad of North Carolina, among many other charitable organizations.

Samuel’s greatest achievement and joy, however, was his 57-year marriage to the love of his life and third grade classmate, Berta, of blessed memory. Together they had four children, nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and many, many, nieces and nephews. Family meant everything to Samuel and came first above all else.

Samuel is survived by his four children: Becky Kaplan, Eli (Barbara) Kaplan, Dorita (Hal) Arnold, and Rachel (Joe) Greenfeld; nine grandchildren: Alli (Alex) Halpern, Erika (Matt) Benton, Alexa Greenfeld, Aidan Greenfeld, Adam Kaplan, Howie (Denise) Kaplan, Jessica (Christopher) Franks, Jeff (Danielle) Kaplan, and Lindsey (Scott) Cypen; and eight great-grandchildren: Murray Kaplan, Sienna Franks, Arden Halpern, Asa Halpern, Emma Franks, Sawyer Kaplan, Maxwell Cypen, and Madelyn Kaplan. Samuel is predeceased by his wife, Berta Kaplan.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at Temple Israel, 4901 Providence Rd., Charlotte, with Rabbi Wolk officiating. Interment will follow at the Hebrew Cemetery.

The family expresses its deepest gratitude to Samuel’s extraordinary caregivers, particularly Luis Quicano.

Donations may be directed to Temple Israel or the Hebrew Cemetery of Charlotte.