— Furniture Today,
AUSTIN, Texas – Milton Smith, a longtime bedding executive in the Serta organization, has died. He was 95.


Smith, known in Austin for his philanthropic and humanitarian projects and his optimistic nature, got his start in furniture retail when he founded Economy Furniture in Texas and built it into a major player in the area. Later he moved into manufacturing, buying the Serta factory in Austin.

“Milton Smith has been involved with Serta since the early 1960s,” said Bob Malin, vice president of licensing services at Serta. “His leadership has helped move Serta to the position they are in the industry today. He will be sorely missed.”

His charitable work included the Moshana Foundation, which he founded with his late wife, Helen. It supports scholarships and projects at the University of Texas.

Survivors include two daughters.