California Obituaries, Los Angeles County

Submitted by Peggy Hooper 

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The Downey Eagle
March 2, 2001 Volume 9 Number 2

Home Center founder Irving Gertler mourned
DOWNEY-Irving Gertler, founder of the All American Home Center, died last Monday, Feb. 19, at the 
age of 93. He died peacefully in a Santa Monica hospital after an extraordinary life. 
Gertler was born in Poland in 1908, the second youngest in a family of nine children. In order to 
escape persecution, Gertler and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 12 years old. 
His family settled in Chicago where he attended school while he struggled to learn English. Despite 
wanting to be an architect, he was forced to begin working upon graduation from high school to help 
support his family. He worked in and owned several small businesses in Chicago. In 1959, he and his 
wife moved to Southern California to join his brother and sisters who had previously moved west. 
In April of 1959, Gertler bought a failing variety store from All American Markets (which is now Stater 
Brothers) for $5,000 down and a handshake. His son, Lanny, moved out to California a few months later, 
and together they founded All American Home Center, which is considered to be the first home center in 
the country and is well known and respected throughout the home center industry today. From the 
beginning, Gertler was active in the Downey Rotary, other Downey organizations and remained involved 
at All American Home Center until very recently. 
Gertler is survived by his son, Lanny, his daughter, Joyce, four grandchildren, including Tamar, the third 
generation of Gertlers involved in the All American Home Center, and by a great-granddaughter. 
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Guardians of the Jewish Home 
for the Aging in Los Angeles.