In Memoriam: Murray Feiss

Lighting legend Murray Feiss passed away this week.  

An indisputable icon in the lighting industry, Murray Feiss passed away on August 18 at the age of 100.

Born in 1926 to Rose and David Feiss, Murray grew up in the Bronx, New York. While he was serving in the Navy during World War II, his mother started a small custom lampshade business in the Bronx to occupy her time. Her handsewn lampshades were fitted onto wire frames made by her husband David’s factory (Associated Wire) in the South Bronx.

When Murray returned from service, he attended New York University (NYU) and studied under its business program. With the goal of expanding his parents’ businesses, he started Murray Feiss Lighting in 1955. The initial product line was porcelain table lamps topped with lampshades from his parents’ companies.

Murray Feiss Lighting grew to become one of the largest decorative lighting companies in the U.S. A firm believer in the idea of a trade show for lighting, Murray Feiss Lighting was among the first tenants of the Dallas Market Center, along with Quoizel, ELK, and Fredrick Ramond. This group of lighting visionaries, under the moniker Four Star, was responsible for generating enthusiasm among lighting retailers for an annual lighting show in Dallas.

A staunch supporter of the industry, he was an active member of the American Lighting Association (ALA) and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2005. He and his devoted wife of 60 years, Dorothy, were known for their hospitality at markets and through company events over the decade. [Dorothy passed away in January 2011 at age 83.]

Murray and Dorothy’s daughters, June Hersh and Andrea Greene, grew up in the family business from an early age and later held executive roles in the company, along with their husbands.

Below, lighting industry leader Maria Scutaro Mullen, shares her recollection of Murray Feiss.

“Everyone in our industry knew Murray as a leader and an icon. I was lucky enough to also know him as my boss, my mentor, and my friend.

“I came into lighting from another business, and I had no idea what I was getting into. What I found out quickly was that I was working for a consummate entrepreneur. He loved what he did. He loved his company and his industry, and he never stopped working to make them better. He sought out like-minded people in the business and worked with them to move the whole field forward. They could be fierce competitors and still sit down together to improve conditions for every lighting company. That example of competition paired with strategic cooperation was smart business, and it has had a lasting impact on our industry.

He took chances. He tried new things, blazed trails, and never rested on his laurels. He was bold, and he was always looking for a better way. He asked for advice and actually listened to it. He brought an energy to everything he did that was infectious and inspirational. It drew you in and made you want to give him your best.

“Murray had a great sense of humor and a bottomless curiosity. He wanted to learn everything he could about anything he was involved in, and he was hands-on in every part of his life: his business, his family, his garden, training his dog. He was active and social. He loved to travel, to ride his bike, to take the dog to the dog park, and he loved both cooking a great meal and eating one. That meal out could be at the finest restaurant in town or at a fast food counter. When we traveled together he would say, “Can we go to the Waffle House for breakfast and Del Taco for lunch? If we can, I’ll take you to the best restaurant in town for dinner.” He never got upset about a delay. He’d find himself a sweet snack and a place to sit with his book until it was time to go. He never sweated the small stuff, and he was present for the big stuff.

“Murray had three children: his daughters June and Andrea, and his company. He and his wife, Dorothy, were a true partnership in every sense, and they adored each other. He was a wonderful family man and nothing made him happier than being surrounded by his family.

After losing his beloved Dorothy in 2011, he later met Diana Gould, who made the final years of his life a joy. He told me time and again that he was having a fantastic retirement, and that it was because he had Diana beside him. I used to tease him that every woman in his life thought he hung the moon and could do no wrong. He would laugh and say, ‘Yes, I’m lucky that way.’

“Unlike a lot of people in business, Murray loved writing big checks. Big commission checks to his reps. Big royalty checks to his designers. Big SPIFF checks to his customers. Big bonus checks to his employees. He signed every one of them with a smile, because he knew that the bigger those checks got, the better his business was doing. He believed in sharing the credit and sharing the rewards. He treated the people who worked for him with respect and appreciation, and that is how he built the best team and the best company in the business. He told me that taking care of his employees was the most important thing he could do, and that if he did that well, they would take care of the company and the customers. I have never forgotten it, and I still try to live by it. When I have a tough decision to make, I still ask myself what Murray would do. He always had a way of seeing a problem that no one else in the room had thought of.

“After my Dad, Murray was the most influential man in my life. He taught me lessons about business and about living that I carry with me every day. He also showed me that business is personal, and that loving the people you work and build with is more than okay. It makes the business stronger and it makes your life richer.

“I will miss Murray for the rest of my days. But I will carry him with me too, and I will never forget the lessons he taught me or the fun we had.

Rest in peace, Murray.”

Shiva & Service Details:

Sunday August 23: Old Oaks Country Club 3100 Purchase St. Purchase, NY. 5-8 PM

Monday & Tuesday: Andrea & Bob Green apt. 936 Fifth Ave. Apt. 16A New York, NY 5-8 PM

Sunday 08/23/2026 at 11:00 AM Address Sharon Gardens Cemetery,273 Lakeview Avenue

Valhalla, NY 10595