NILES, Ill. -- Marshall Gary Bobroff, founder and former president of Marshall Fabrics, a decorative fabrics wholesaler in the Chicago area, died June 10 at age 79.

Marshall Fabrics was a distributor of decorative fabrics to retail designers, national chains, and independent window covering businesses.

Before it closed in 2008, the company existed for almost 30 years, reportedly with multimillion-dollar expansion and profits. Those trends came to a halt when Bobroff’s suppliers started going direct, “making it impossible to make profitable margins,” Bobroff previously said.

After Marshall Fabrics shuttered, Bobroff worked for a series of companies in the textile field, including stints as an independent sales representative at Richloom Fabrics; national sales manager at Northeast Textiles (2011); and most recently, Marsales, a consulting textile business he established in 1965 and continued until his passing.

Richloom Fabrics was one of Bobroff’s leading vendors at Marshall. As an independent sales rep, he reportedly produced a significant increase in sales volume in his territory. 

Bobroff was born Feb. 11, 1940. He is survived by his wife of 58 years; son, Eugene (Christy) Bobroff, and daughter, Heidi (Scott) Ruby; grandsons Eli and Ari Bobroff; Jonathan and Joshua Ruby; and granddaughter Alexa "Popky" Bobroff; brother, Howard (Lorelei); and sister Terry (Sandi) Bobroff. 

The family suggests donations may be made in Bobroff’s memory to:
American Lung Association
55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 781-1100
www.lung.org