Burlington's Milstein dead at 72

By Andrea Lillo -- Home Textiles Today, 8/27/2001 12:00:00 AM

BURLINGTON, NJ —

Henrietta "Henny" Milstein, who co-founded Burlington Coat Factory along with her husband Monroe Milstein, passed away on August 17 due to complications of cancer. She was 72.

Born Henrietta Haas in Vienna in 1929, she and her parents left in 1939 to escape the Nazis and came to America. She met Monroe in Long Beach, NY, and they married in 1949. She earned her B.S. in education from New York University and her Masters in Library Science as well as Education from C.W. Post college.

The couple opened their first Burlington Coat Factory store here in 1972, using money Henrietta saved while working as a librarian. She was always an integral part of the family business, creating the children's clothing and Baby Depot departments and serving as executive vp for more than two decades.

Besides being involved with the company, Henny served as president of the B'Nai Brith Women's organization and the Long Beach PTA and was active in the Anti-Defamation League. She also established a fellowship for medical research at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

Along with her husband of 52 years, she is survived by three sons and seven grandchildren.