Naomi WEISBOND

1920 - 2015  (95 years)

• Name	Naomi WEISBOND  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Birth	9 May 1920	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania   [2]
  Gender	Female
  HIST	This must be the Naomi who is the subject of the following article. jkh Before it was Naomi and Warner Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2003 12:00 am | Updated: 3:31 pm, Thu Feb 25, 2010. Naomi Warner currently owns and operates a very fine gift shop in this building on the corner of North Main Street and Law Range. It is called Naomi and Warner (Warner T. Warner, deceased, was her husband and partner). The building was new in 1936 and opened on Sept. 1 of that year. The owner was Chris Chokos, who died in 1943 at the age of 57. Chokos was a native of Greece, coming to this country as a young man. He settled in Sumter in about 1913 and operated very successful restaurants, first at the old Imperial Hotel on Harvin Street and then on Main where the Abrams Law Office is today. According to the story published in The Sumter Daily Item, this new eating place was to be "one of the best in S.C." The restaurant also had a soda fountain and curb service for those parking on Main and Law Range and was to employ only local girls as waitresses, but Chokos said he would hire a chef from out of town that was skilled in cooking western steaks and fancy dishes. Another feature was to be a private telephone booth in the restaurant for local and long distance calls. After Chokos's death, the restaurant was operated by his son-in-law, R.J. "Chic" Mathis, who then sold it to Walter R. Arnett and E.C. Goza. These partners operated a cafeteria and named it C & W Cafeteria. Goza was postmaster in Columbia but lived in Mayesville, where his wife, "Miss Blue Eyes," had an extensive farm operation. The building occupying the site of Naomi's was moved down Law Range and now serves as law offices for attorney Wayne Gamble. Picture from Post Card collection at the Bubba Archives. History by W. A. "Bubba" McElveen, 803-775-2851, email mayorbubbaftc-i.net. Posted in Lookb on Sunday, August 31, 2003 Naomi and Warner moves Posted: Sunday, October 10, 2010 6:00 am | Updated: 11:41 pm, Sat Oct 9, 2010. BY COREY DAVIS cdavis@theitem.com For many Sumter residents, Naomi and Warner has been the place to buy presents, set up their wedding gift registries, buy jewelry and cards and have a cup of coffee and a sandwich. For the past 50 years, it could always be found at the corner of North Main Street and Law Range. But after Oct. 17, customers will have to visit proprietor Naomi Warner at 12 S. Main St., in the former The Capitol department store building. The two-story building at 119 N. Main St. that now houses her shop was owned by the city and recently was purchased by a Charlotte developer, according to downtown manager Ray Reich. Reich would not disclose the developer's name but said he plans to put five apartments upstairs and renovate the first floor for potential retail use. Warner said she must have all her items out of the building by Oct. 30. The 90-year-old businesswoman has been the sole owner of Naomi and Warner Gift and Jewelry Store since Warner T. Warner, her business partner and husband of 47 years, died in 1987. "I'm disappointed; and at my age, moving wasn't something I wanted to do right now," she said. "I was hoping they were going to let us stay until after Christmas, but they said they wanted to start building the apartment buildings. I'm not really going to a bigger building, but I expect to have all my stuff in there to sell for the public." Naomi and Warner opened in 1956 at 101 N. Main St. and moved to its present location at 119 N. Main St. in 1960. Warner said she and her husband decided shortly after to expand their store, which was formerly a cafeteria. She said the store was known for having lawyers and doctors stop in for lunch. She also pointed out that for decades, a cozy back room furnished with glass-top tables and iron chairs has been a gathering place for locals to sip coffee, watch the morning news and catch up on events. Warner said her new location will have the same type of feel for her loyal customers. "I still have a group of retired military people that come, serve themselves coffee and chat," she said. "I'm going to still have the coffee shop in the back of the shop for the people who have been coming in here for years." Since the passing of husband, Warner has had plenty of help from her assistant Minnie Green, she said. Green has been a fixture at the store, having worked for the family business for 26 years. She began at the store upon graduation from high school and took a hiatus when she went into the U.S. Army. She came back in 1984. Warner calls Green her right hand and a person who does a great job of taking care of the day-to-day operations in the store. "She does the pricing and displays. She does everything," Warner said. "I couldn't do it without her, and she is the best. She really is. We're like mother and daughter." Green added that she has enjoyed working at the store over the years and wishes the business didn't have to move. "I'm sad that the business is being forced to move, and it's like an end of an era here," she said. "Naomi and Warner has been a recognizable business on North Main Street and has been one of the main retail stores downtown for years. It's going to be different going to a different section of town. I hope and pray things work out well for her. She is a very caring and loving person who has been great to work for." A majority of the gift shop's items including fine china, silverware, crystal, stationery and cards, wedding accessories, children's gifts, recipe books and scrapbooks have been wrapped in boxes and sit ready to be moved to the new store. A few items remain on the shelves for customers to come and purchase. Longtime customer John Jackson was in the store Tuesday afternoon shopping for a birthday present for his wife. Jackson said he will continue to be a regular customer no matter where it is located. "I've bought things in this place for years," Jackson said. "She always has had what I needed when I'm looking to buy my wife something, or when my daughter was looking to get a present for a friend for a birthday party. Mrs. Warner is a classy person. I will continue to come and support her business. Hopefully, those people that have been regular customers in this store will also follow her to the new location." Jackson added one of the unique things about purchasing a gift at Naomi and Warner is the courtesy gift wrapping that Warner does on all purchases. Warner said that's something she will continue. "I wouldn't have been in business for more than 50 years if I didn't treat my customers fairly. I understand, like anywhere else, that business has fallen off some, but I still have customers that call me and tell me the amount that they want to spend on a gift and leave the selection up to me." Warner said she hopes downtown Sumter can return to being the center of business activity and cultural events. She especially hopes the empty buildings on South Main Street will be occupied by businesses in the future. Cathy McCaskill, co-owner of Special Teas restaurant at 5 South Main St., said she believes businesses can help the downtown area grow by being unified. McCaskill added that she is looking forward to Naomi and Warner opening up on her side of town. "We're excited about being close neighbors, and we look at this as being a partnership," McCaskill said. "The thing we hope to do is send business her way, and she will also be able to send us business." That's a plan that works for Warner, who said she plans to continue operating her shop "... as long as God allows me to." Posted in Business on Sunday, October 10, 2010 Happy birthday Naomi Warner receives a dozen roses from Rodger Reynolds and the members of the Naomi Warner coffee club to celebrate her 95th birthday on Saturday. KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Sunday, May 10, 2015 6:00 am NAOMI W. WARNER Posted Friday, June 19, 2015 6:00 am Naomi Weisbond Warner, age 95, passed away peacefully at home on June 18, 2015, after a lengthy illness. She was born on May 9, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Anna and David Weisbond. She moved to Sumter in 1951; she and her husband established Naomi and Warner's Gift Store, a gathering place for people in the Sumter community. Since 1956, she was a mainstay in downtown Sumter, where she had been in business for 50 years. She was a savvy businesswoman, a loving mother and devoted friend. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Warner T. Warner; and son, Jan Lynn Warner. She is survived by her son, Edwin Warner and his wife, Marilyn; daughter, Bonnie Kass and her husband, Sid; daughter-in-law, Vicki Warner; sister, Marcia Mazursky; along with 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Members of the state Senate recognized Mrs. Warner for the many contributions she had made to the downtown Sumter area by declaring May 9, 2015 "Naomi Warner Day" in South Carolina. A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with burial following at the Sumter Jewish Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Bullock Funeral Home. The family requests donations to the Naomi Warner Business Scholarship Fund at the University of South Carolina at Sumter, 200 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150-2498, Attention: Joyce H. Hodge. You may sign the family's guest book at www.bullockfuneralhome.com. Wedgefield woman joins State Guard Posted Friday, June 19, 2015 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS Wedgefield native Sylvia L. Murray, the agency director for the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, became the newest member of the South Carolina State Guard on Saturday, June 6. Murray was sworn in as a captain by State Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Tom Mullikin during a ceremony at the historic Olympia Armory in Columbia. "We are extremely honored to have someone with Murray's background and leadership skills join the ranks of the State Guard," Mullikin said. "She is already working hard for our state, and I am convinced that she will continue to serve as an even larger asset to the people of South Carolina in her role with the state guard." Murray serves as a member of Gov. Nikki Haley's cabinet. In addition to keeping the governor informed of all major agency initiatives, she oversees deputy directors and associate deputy directors; recruits and secures multiple sources of funding; develops and maintains collaborative and effective relationships with judicial, legislative and executive branches of government to ensure juvenile services are impactful; and serves on various committees and boards. Murray has an Associate of Arts degree in legal assisting, a Bachelor of Arts degree in public affairs and a Master of Arts degree in management from Midlands Technical College, Columbia College and Webster University, respectively. "This is an opportunity for me to assist the citizens of South Carolina when a disaster occurs," Murray said. "I have been assigned to the Civil Affairs unit, which typically works behind the scenes for logistical purposes. I think logistics is one of my greatest strengths." Murray urged all South Carolinians to consider joining the State Guard. "It is a volunteer organization, and you do not have to have any prior military experience," she said. "Volunteers get to work with the South Carolina National Guard, which consists of the S.C. Army National Guard and the S.C. Air National Guard, as well as the S.C. Emergency Management Division team to assist when there is a natural or man-made disaster within our state. "The State Guard is trained and ready to be the first boots on the ground to protect people and property, as well as helping the community recover from a disaster." Any citizen between the ages of 17 and 70 is eligible to apply, she said. Members of the State Guard typically serve at a National Guard in their community, and members with specialized skills may be asked to serve at the State Guard headquarters. "The organization is an excellent way to promote unselfish service to your community and the state of South Carolina," Murray said. According to the State Guard's website, www.sg.sc.gov, the State Guard is part of the South Carolina Military Department, commanded by the adjutant general. Murray's younger sister, Valarie Williams, is the executive director of South Carolina Housing and Finance Development Authority.  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  HIST	This must be the Naomi who is the subject of the following article. jkh Before it was Naomi and Warner Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2003 12:00 am | Updated: 3:31 pm, Thu Feb 25, 2010. Naomi Warner currently owns and operates a very fine gift shop in this building on the corner of North Main Street and Law Range. It is called Naomi and Warner (Warner T. Warner, deceased, was her husband and partner). The building was new in 1936 and opened on Sept. 1 of that year. The owner was Chris Chokos, who died in 1943 at the age of 57. Chokos was a native of Greece, coming to this country as a young man. He settled in Sumter in about 1913 and operated very successful restaurants, first at the old Imperial Hotel on Harvin Street and then on Main where the Abrams Law Office is today. According to the story published in The Sumter Daily Item, this new eating place was to be "one of the best in S.C." The restaurant also had a soda fountain and curb service for those parking on Main and Law Range and was to employ only local girls as waitresses, but Chokos said he would hire a chef from out of town that was skilled in cooking western steaks and fancy dishes. Another feature was to be a private telephone booth in the restaurant for local and long distance calls. After Chokos's death, the restaurant was operated by his son-in-law, R.J. "Chic" Mathis, who then sold it to Walter R. Arnett and E.C. Goza. These partners operated a cafeteria and named it C & W Cafeteria. Goza was postmaster in Columbia but lived in Mayesville, where his wife, "Miss Blue Eyes," had an extensive farm operation. The building occupying the site of Naomi's was moved down Law Range and now serves as law offices for attorney Wayne Gamble. Picture from Post Card collection at the Bubba Archives. History by W. A. "Bubba" McElveen, 803-775-2851, email mayorbubbaftc-i.net. Posted in Lookb on Sunday, August 31, 2003 Naomi and Warner moves Posted: Sunday, October 10, 2010 6:00 am | Updated: 11:41 pm, Sat Oct 9, 2010. BY COREY DAVIS cdavis@theitem.com For many Sumter residents, Naomi and Warner has been the place to buy presents, set up their wedding gift registries, buy jewelry and cards and have a cup of coffee and a sandwich. For the past 50 years, it could always be found at the corner of North Main Street and Law Range. But after Oct. 17, customers will have to visit proprietor Naomi Warner at 12 S. Main St., in the former The Capitol department store building. The two-story building at 119 N. Main St. that now houses her shop was owned by the city and recently was purchased by a Charlotte developer, according to downtown manager Ray Reich. Reich would not disclose the developer's name but said he plans to put five apartments upstairs and renovate the first floor for potential retail use. Warner said she must have all her items out of the building by Oct. 30. The 90-year-old businesswoman has been the sole owner of Naomi and Warner Gift and Jewelry Store since Warner T. Warner, her business partner and husband of 47 years, died in 1987. "I'm disappointed; and at my age, moving wasn't something I wanted to do right now," she said. "I was hoping they were going to let us stay until after Christmas, but they said they wanted to start building the apartment buildings. I'm not really going to a bigger building, but I expect to have all my stuff in there to sell for the public." Naomi and Warner opened in 1956 at 101 N. Main St. and moved to its present location at 119 N. Main St. in 1960. Warner said she and her husband decided shortly after to expand their store, which was formerly a cafeteria. She said the store was known for having lawyers and doctors stop in for lunch. She also pointed out that for decades, a cozy back room furnished with glass-top tables and iron chairs has been a gathering place for locals to sip coffee, watch the morning news and catch up on events. Warner said her new location will have the same type of feel for her loyal customers. "I still have a group of retired military people that come, serve themselves coffee and chat," she said. "I'm going to still have the coffee shop in the back of the shop for the people who have been coming in here for years." Since the passing of husband, Warner has had plenty of help from her assistant Minnie Green, she said. Green has been a fixture at the store, having worked for the family business for 26 years. She began at the store upon graduation from high school and took a hiatus when she went into the U.S. Army. She came back in 1984. Warner calls Green her right hand and a person who does a great job of taking care of the day-to-day operations in the store. "She does the pricing and displays. She does everything," Warner said. "I couldn't do it without her, and she is the best. She really is. We're like mother and daughter." Green added that she has enjoyed working at the store over the years and wishes the business didn't have to move. "I'm sad that the business is being forced to move, and it's like an end of an era here," she said. "Naomi and Warner has been a recognizable business on North Main Street and has been one of the main retail stores downtown for years. It's going to be different going to a different section of town. I hope and pray things work out well for her. She is a very caring and loving person who has been great to work for." A majority of the gift shop's items including fine china, silverware, crystal, stationery and cards, wedding accessories, children's gifts, recipe books and scrapbooks have been wrapped in boxes and sit ready to be moved to the new store. A few items remain on the shelves for customers to come and purchase. Longtime customer John Jackson was in the store Tuesday afternoon shopping for a birthday present for his wife. Jackson said he will continue to be a regular customer no matter where it is located. "I've bought things in this place for years," Jackson said. "She always has had what I needed when I'm looking to buy my wife something, or when my daughter was looking to get a present for a friend for a birthday party. Mrs. Warner is a classy person. I will continue to come and support her business. Hopefully, those people that have been regular customers in this store will also follow her to the new location." Jackson added one of the unique things about purchasing a gift at Naomi and Warner is the courtesy gift wrapping that Warner does on all purchases. Warner said that's something she will continue. "I wouldn't have been in business for more than 50 years if I didn't treat my customers fairly. I understand, like anywhere else, that business has fallen off some, but I still have customers that call me and tell me the amount that they want to spend on a gift and leave the selection up to me." Warner said she hopes downtown Sumter can return to being the center of business activity and cultural events. She especially hopes the empty buildings on South Main Street will be occupied by businesses in the future. Cathy McCaskill, co-owner of Special Teas restaurant at 5 South Main St., said she believes businesses can help the downtown area grow by being unified. McCaskill added that she is looking forward to Naomi and Warner opening up on her side of town. "We're excited about being close neighbors, and we look at this as being a partnership," McCaskill said. "The thing we hope to do is send business her way, and she will also be able to send us business." That's a plan that works for Warner, who said she plans to continue operating her shop "... as long as God allows me to." Posted in Business on Sunday, October 10, 2010 Happy birthday Naomi Warner receives a dozen roses from Rodger Reynolds and the members of the Naomi Warner coffee club to celebrate her 95th birthday on Saturday. KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Sunday, May 10, 2015 6:00 am NAOMI W. WARNER Posted Friday, June 19, 2015 6:00 am Naomi Weisbond Warner, age 95, passed away peacefully at home on June 18, 2015, after a lengthy illness. She was born on May 9, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Anna and David Weisbond. She moved to Sumter in 1951; she and her husband established Naomi and Warner's Gift Store, a gathering place for people in the Sumter community. Since 1956, she was a mainstay in downtown Sumter, where she had been in business for 50 years. She was a savvy businesswoman, a loving mother and devoted friend. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Warner T. Warner; and son, Jan Lynn Warner. She is survived by her son, Edwin Warner and his wife, Marilyn; daughter, Bonnie Kass and her husband, Sid; daughter-in-law, Vicki Warner; sister, Marcia Mazursky; along with 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Members of the state Senate recognized Mrs. Warner for the many contributions she had made to the downtown Sumter area by declaring May 9, 2015 "Naomi Warner Day" in South Carolina. A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with burial following at the Sumter Jewish Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Bullock Funeral Home. The family requests donations to the Naomi Warner Business Scholarship Fund at the University of South Carolina at Sumter, 200 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150-2498, Attention: Joyce H. Hodge. You may sign the family's guest book at www.bullockfuneralhome.com. Wedgefield woman joins State Guard Posted Friday, June 19, 2015 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS Wedgefield native Sylvia L. Murray, the agency director for the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, became the newest member of the South Carolina State Guard on Saturday, June 6. Murray was sworn in as a captain by State Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Tom Mullikin during a ceremony at the historic Olympia Armory in Columbia. "We are extremely honored to have someone with Murray's background and leadership skills join the ranks of the State Guard," Mullikin said. "She is already working hard for our state, and I am convinced that she will continue to serve as an even larger asset to the people of South Carolina in her role with the state guard." Murray serves as a member of Gov. Nikki Haley's cabinet. In addition to keeping the governor informed of all major agency initiatives, she oversees deputy directors and associate deputy directors; recruits and secures multiple sources of funding; develops and maintains collaborative and effective relationships with judicial, legislative and executive branches of government to ensure juvenile services are impactful; and serves on various committees and boards. Murray has an Associate of Arts degree in legal assisting, a Bachelor of Arts degree in public affairs and a Master of Arts degree in management from Midlands Technical College, Columbia College and Webster University, respectively. "This is an opportunity for me to assist the citizens of South Carolina when a disaster occurs," Murray said. "I have been assigned to the Civil Affairs unit, which typically works behind the scenes for logistical purposes. I think logistics is one of my greatest strengths." Murray urged all South Carolinians to consider joining the State Guard. "It is a volunteer organization, and you do not have to have any prior military experience," she said. "Volunteers get to work with the South Carolina National Guard, which consists of the S.C. Army National Guard and the S.C. Air National Guard, as well as the S.C. Emergency Management Division team to assist when there is a natural or man-made disaster within our state. "The State Guard is trained and ready to be the first boots on the ground to protect people and property, as well as helping the community recover from a disaster." Any citizen between the ages of 17 and 70 is eligible to apply, she said. Members of the State Guard typically serve at a National Guard in their community, and members with specialized skills may be asked to serve at the State Guard headquarters. "The organization is an excellent way to promote unselfish service to your community and the state of South Carolina," Murray said. According to the State Guard's website, www.sg.sc.gov, the State Guard is part of the South Carolina Military Department, commanded by the adjutant general. Murray's younger sister, Valarie Williams, is the executive director of South Carolina Housing and Finance Development Authority.
  _UID	E8FBA8DA3D2A48409F77D37BD96D9A7F1721
  _UID	E8FBA8DA3D2A48409F77D37BD96D9A7F1721
  Death	18 Jun 2015
  Burial	21 Jun 2015	Sumter Jewish Cemetery, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina   [4]
  	Bullock Funeral Home & Crematorium, Sumter, South Carolina Bullock Funeral Home & Crematorium, Sumter, South Carolina
  Person ID	I248291	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2015

  
  

  Father	David WEISBOND   d. Bef 18 Jun 2015
  Mother	Anna   d. Bef 18 Jun 2015
  _UID	11A6A01B02F144948B5A23A58461DE2AD72A
  _UID	11A6A01B02F144948B5A23A58461DE2AD72A
  Family ID	F202354	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Warner T. WARNER   d. 1987
  Marriage	Abt 1940  [2]
  _UID	4C4E59F4CA044CB3ADF1E645EF4EDBC25755
  _UID	4C4E59F4CA044CB3ADF1E645EF4EDBC25755
  Children	1. Jan Lynn WARNER,   b. 9 May 1942, Dunkirk, New York d. 27 Oct 2009, at his residence (Age 67 years)   2. Edwin WARNER   3. Bonnie WARNER
  Family ID	F167633	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Jun 2015

  
  

• Sources

  [S13173] Jan L. Warner. [S14986] Naomi and Warner moves. [S22607] Happy Birthday. [S22636] Naomi W. Warner. [S14987] Before it was Naomi and Warner. [S22906] Wedgefield woman joins State Guard.