Samuel Gans, business leader active in causes

When Samuel M. Gans was stationed on a Navy base in Guam, he boxed well enough, his family said, that he became a welterweight champ of the Mariana Islands.

"Throughout his life, he had a toughness combined with tenderness," Robert DeLambily, a friend and owner of Planned Financial Programs in Collingswood, said.

"He was strong. He built himself up from a rowhouse in South Philadelphia to owning a number of successful businesses."

On Tuesday, Dec. 30, Mr. Gans, 89, of Ventnor, former owner and president of Manpower Inc. offices in the Delaware Valley, died of complications from congestive heart failure at Delray Medical Center, near his vacation home in Delray, Fla.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Gans grew up near Fourth and Morris Streets, graduated from South Philadelphia High School in 1943, and served as a Navy typist from 1943 to 1946, his son Jeffrey said.

He graduated with a business degree from Peirce Junior College, which later gave him its Pride of Peirce Award.

After working as an office manager and accountant for a contractors' equipment dealer in Philadelphia from 1946 to 1952, Mr. Gans was controller and chief accountant for a firm that owned Woodside Amusement Park in West Fairmount Park.

In 1958, Mr. Gans bought his first franchises in Camden and Trenton for Manpower, the temporary-help employment agency, his son said.

By the time Mr. Gans sold his interests in 1996, his son said, "he had all of central Jersey, South Jersey, suburbs of Philadelphia, and the whole state of Delaware."

For a time, he was also the owner and president of Micrographics Services Inc. in Pennsauken.

And from 1982 to 2004, he owned Antique & Classic Cars Inc. in Voorhees, which stored such cars for their owners, his son said.

Mr. Gans was the founding chairman of the Camden County chapter for the former National Conference of Christians and Jews, which awarded him a distinguished service citation, and a regional board member of the Anti-Defamation League, which gave him a distinguished community service award, his son said.

In 1958, he was a cofounder of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Camden County, which later gave him its humanitarian award and the William Laird Memorial Award.

He was a board member and vice president of United Way of Camden County, a member of the Mental Health Association in Southwestern New Jersey and the Heart Association of Camden County and the American Cancer Society of Camden County, his son said.

Mr. Gans was a board member and vice president of the Greater Cherry Hill Chamber of Commerce, a member of the South Jersey Chamber of Commerce and of the chairman's circle of the New Jersey State Aquarium.

He held several offices with the Southern New Jersey Development Council, which gave him its community services award.

A 32d degree Mason, Mr. Gans was a member of the Jewish War Veterans and a member for more than 50 years of the Camden Lions Club and, at one time, its former president and a Lion of the Year.

Besides son Jeffrey, Mr. Gans is survived by son Gary and four grandchildren. Ada, his wife of 56 years, died in 2004.

A visitation was set from 12:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at Platt Memorial Chapels, before a 1 p.m. funeral there, with burial in Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown.

Donations may be sent to Congregation Beth Tikvah, 115 Evesboro-Medford Rd., Marlton, N.J. 08053.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.plattmemorial.com.