Arthur Gleim Passes Away

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that my father Arthur Gleim, Chairman of Gleim the Jeweler, died at his home in Palo Alto November 26. Hundreds of Palo Alto couples recall his attentiveness and kindness in helping them find the right engagement ring. I can't begin to tell you how many times over the years I have been stopped by someone who has shown me the ring my father helped them select and, sometimes, finance by paying a few dollars a week. Many clients have told me that they were first able to build a credit record because he was willing to take a chance on their integrity. When I look through our old record books, and see the countless names of customers who have purchased rings and jewelry from our company, it becomes very clear that the store he built into what it is today has been privileged to be a very important part of thousands of local lives.

One of his most important rules was always "Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do." Integrity is crucial in the jewelry business, and his own strong sense of ethics was a perfect fit for the industry. It also made him a natural for leadership positions within the industry, which he filled with great dedication.

Born in Larned, Kansas, in 1916, Mr. Gleim's family moved to Palo Alto in 1928. In 1931, out of a job, his father, Frederick Gleim, borrowed $500 and opened Gleim the Jeweler on University Ave. in downtown Palo Alto. Arthur worked in his father's store from the first day, helping out every day after his classes at Palo Alto High School. Graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Optometry, for a while Arthur operated his optometric office from within the jewelry store. During World War II, he served at Letterman Hospital's Eye Clinic, driving to Palo Alto every weekend to help his mother, Cora Gleim, who had taken over the business after Frederick's untimely death.

After his military service, Arthur entered the jewelry business full-time, leading Gleim the Jeweler to a national reputation within the jewelry industry. On a handshake agreement with Stanford University, Gleim the Jeweler became one of the original tenants at the Stanford Shopping Center in 1956; on another handshake agreement in the early 70's, Arthur purchased Johnson & Co. Jewelers, also at the Stanford Shopping Center, which operated concurrently with Gleim's for over 30 years until the merging of the two companies a few years ago. And in 1980, Arthur opened his third store on Main Street in Los Altos.

Arthur is regarded as one of the legends in the jewelry industry. He served as President of the California Jewelers' Association in 1967, President of the American Gem Society from 1973-1975, Chairman of the Board of the Gemological Institute of America from 1974-1981, and President of the Jewelers of America from 1981-1983; he remains the only person in the jewelry industry to have held all of these leadership positions. He served on the board of the Jewelers' Vigilance Committee and the Jewelry Industry Council, and chaired the American Gem Society's Board of Trustees. He was recognized with the California Jewelers' 2004 Robert B. Westover Award, and the American Gem Society's 1980 Robert M. Shipley Award, the most prestigious award in the jewelry industry. He was a long-time champion of education within the industry, chairing the Education Committee of the American Gem Society, and was the original author of the AGS' Appraisal Guidelines. He was always open to new ideas in his business, whether it was buying and selling estate jewelry, establishing a diamond cutting operation in the repair shop, acquiring the world's largest carved emerald, or giving shop space to a talented artist.

Arthur met his wife, Marjorie, when she took a job in the jewelry store as "temporary Christmas help" in 1941; their first date was on Pearl Harbor Day, and they were married the following February. Marjorie spent many hours helping Arthur in the store as well as outside with community work. Together, they were recognized with the Avenidas Lifetimes of Achievement Award in 2004 recognizing their years of work within the community. Arthur served as President of the PTA and the Palo Alto Credit Bureau; he served on the Board of the Chamber of Commerce and was a long time member of both the Palo Alto Rotary Club and the Palo Alto Club. With several business colleagues, he was instrumental in establishing the Little League Park on Middlefield Road. He was always quick to lend support to community groups through donations from his store, just as he was quick to lend support to colleagues within the jewelry industry, always happy to give help, advice or even a job to jump-start a young person's career.

Arthur was preceded in death by his two sons, Arthur Jr. and Bruce; he is survived by his wife, Marjorie, daughter Georgie and son-in-law George Schumann, grandchildren Jared and Lisa, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial gathering will be held at a future date; the family asks that donations be sent to Avenidas, 450 Bryant St., Palo Alto, CA 94301.