Carl Muselman
Carl Muselman
1928-2006
BERNE, Ind.--Carl Henry Muselman, 78, a lifelong resident of Berne, died at 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 2, 2006, at Swiss Village from complications of prostate cancer.
Carl was born on Feb. 7, 1928, to Christian and Edna (Sprunger) Muselman, both deceased. On Oct. 15, 1950, he married Marilyn (Smith) Muselman. She survives.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Thomas (Audrey) Muselman and grandchildren, Shannon, Kristen, Kaitlyn and Nathan Muselman of Berne; daughter-in-law, Elaine Muselman and her children, Lisa and Denise Fosnaugh of Berne; brother, Arthur (Gloria) Muselman of Berne; sister, Ruth (Clinton) Steury of Fort Wayne; and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Two sons, John A. Muselman and James H. Muselman, and two sisters, Carolyn Russett and Pauline Muselman, preceded him in death.
Carl was a director emeritus for Dynamic Resource Group, the management company that oversees the publishing and fulfillment companies owned by the Muselman family, and was the retired president of EP Graphics -- the family's printing business. In addition, Carl was a retired director of Smith Brothers of Berne, Inc. and The Berne Tri-Weekly News.
He was involved in a number of community and national organizations. He was a previous member and past president of the South Adams School Board. During his tenure on the board, the school system built the new high school. He also served on the board of Summit Christian College (now Taylor University Fort Wayne) and Bethel College in Mishawaka. He was active in Rotary International for many years, and was the first president of the Berne Jaycees organization.
Carl was a director for World Missionary Press, Inc., a member of Gideon's International and a lifelong member of First Missionary Church in Berne. He also served on the Bethel Publishing Board of the Missionary Church denomination.
After graduating from high school in 1946, Carl attended Taylor University in Upland, Ind., for two years and then graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in business.
After graduation from college, Carl served at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis as a Second Lieutenant in the Finance Corps of the U.S. Army until his honorable discharge in 1953 as a First Lieutenant. While in Indianapolis, he also served as a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America.
In 1953, Carl joined the family firm, Economy Printing. His father, who came to the United States from Germany in 1910, founded the printing company in 1925. In the mid 1950s, Carl and Art purchased the business from their father, and Carl served there until his retirement in the mid 1990s. The brothers oversaw the printing company, now called EP Graphics, for 40 years.
As the printing business continued to grow, the Muselmans expanded into other areas, such as the sale of wholesale records and the operation of a travel business. They also purchased Smith Brothers Furniture, a highly successful manufacturer of upholstered furniture, which was founded by Marilyn Muselman's father and uncle, Les and Orva Smith.
In the mid 1970s, the Muselman brothers purchased The Berne Tri-Weekly News, the only community newspaper in Indiana that is published three times a week.
In 1985, Carl and Art purchased a publishing company in New Hampshire, House of White Birches, and moved the operations to Berne.
The purchase of HWB was followed by the acquisitions of The Needlecraft Shop in 1994 and Annie's Attic in 1996, both Texas-based craft magazine and catalog publishers. After the purchase of Annie's Attic, the Muselmans formed a fulfillment company -- Strategic Fulfillment Group, which is located in Big Sandy, Texas.
In July 1998, Carl and Art were honored as finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Ernst & Young presents its annual Entrepreneur Of The Year award to the most successful and innovative entrepreneurial business leaders in more than 125 cities in 40 countries around the world. Nominations were reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges and the finalists and award recipients were honored at a reception at the Century Center in South Bend, Ind.
In 2002, the Muselmans expanded their company with the acquisitions of Clotilde's Sewing Notions -- a cataloger in the retail needlecraft industry -- and American School of Needlework -- a leading publisher of needlecraft books and patterns based in Southern California.
After retiring from EP Graphics, Carl and Marilyn enjoyed spending the winter months in Naples, Fla. Carl and his family enjoyed traveling, and they visited many countries throughout the world.
Funeral services were held at First Mennonite Church in Berne on Wednesday, April 5, with Rev. David Thomas and Rev. Max Haines officiating. Burial was in MRE Cemetery.
Preferred memorials are to Bethel College, Gideons International, Swiss Village Wellness Center, The Navigators or the Missionary Church New District Project.
