Rest In Play - 2020 - 2029

Murray Jackson, founder of Edx Education, passed away on January 3, 2024. Edx Education is a major supplier to the international education market. Known for their philosophy "learning through play,..." the company develops quality hands-on educational materials to foster children's learning through play in the classroom and at home. Though Edx Education has been in business for over 20 years, the company really hit its stride when the global pandemic led to an increase in home schooling. Murray founded Edx Education in 1996, and ran it himself for 27 years, but that's not all he did. He helped pioneer projects such as the opening of an after school center in Taiwan. He was both an industry leader and a mentor to many, and he will be dearly missed by all who knew him.Show more

Jack Leo Williams passed away at the age of 82 on December 31, 2023. Jack got his start in the toy business just after graduating high school in 1959, working at a new Bradlees Department Store, setti...ng up and managing their new toy department. In the early 1980s, Jack became a partner at Freud, Morris, and Williams (FMW), a toy manufacturer rep business in Manhattan. The company represented domestic and international toy factory manufacturers. Jack spent over fifty years traveling all throughout New England, even making over thirty trips to Hong Kong, before retiring at age 78. In 2015, Jack was honored by the Officers and Board of Directors of the American International Toy Industry Association for his attendance at the New York's annual Toy Fair for over 50 years in a row.Show more

Pauline Kerrison passed away peacefully on Christmas Day in 2023, surrounded by family. Pauline spent most of her life involved with Kerrison Toys, her family owned toy store in Norwich, Norfolk. B...oasting the largest and widest range of toys in the area, from games and puzzles to construction sets and video game consoles. Friends and family describe her as "warm and welcoming, "one of a kind," and "one of the industry's diamonds," and she will be deeply missed by family, friends, and regular customers alike.Show more

Pam Dobson passed away on September 29, 2023. Pam and her husband Peter owned Ely's Toys of Woodford Green for many years. Ely's Toys was a popular local toy shop. People came to know Pam and Peter ov...er the years, and many customers would visit the shop to not only buy toys, but to stop and chat with the couple. The shop closed in 2001, but is remembered fondly by community members. Pam and Peter married in 1958 and moved to London. A few years later, they took over Ely's Toys, and grew it from a very small business into a much larger toy shop, even buying up the premises next door.Show more

Herb Feldman was born on April 1, 1942 and died on July 29, 2023 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Herb was the founder of Feldman & Assoc., a good athlete, and a passionate Yankees fan.

Video game voice actor Ken Lally has passed away at the age of 52 on October 10, 2023. Lally voiced NPCs in video games such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. He had mai...n roles in Mortal Kombat 9 as Smoke, Shinnok, and Goro, in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 as Robert Kendo, and in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus as Wayne Woods. He also did guest roles in Heroes and Star Trek: Enterprise.Show more

Japanese artist Yoshitaka Tamaki passed away in July of this year from lung cancer. Tamaki was born in October of 1967 and was primarily known for being a character designer on Climax Entertainment's ...games, notably the Shining series. Tamaki's debut game was as an outline and storyboard artist on 1991's Shining in the Darkness. He also wrote and drew art for 1992's Landstalker and designed 1997's FEDA 2: White Surge of the Platoon. In 1997, he founded Salamander Factor, which helped on titled including Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and Project X Zone. In 1991, he joined Swallowtails, which is credited with development on 2020's Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions. His final credited game is 2007's Shining Force EXA.Show more

David A. Miller passed away at the age of 91 on October 24, 2023. David attended the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) and NYU Law School before serving in the Coast Guard. In 1967, David and h...is brother Richard founded Eden Toys. Together, they built the company into a leading manufacturer of infant and preschool stuffed toys. Notable licensed products include Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit and Paddington Bear. In 1990, David became president of the Toy Manufacturers Association, later called The Toy Association. As president, he pioneered national and international efforts to curry favor for accepting China into the World Trade Organization and granting the country permanent Most Favored Nation in the US. He was an advocate of NAFTA and zero tariffs for toys, as well as safety and ethical manufacturing standards. He also played a role in the development of the Fashion Institute of Technology's Toy Design Program. In 2002, David was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame.Show more

Russell Dever, the founder and managing director of Those Licensing People passed away on August 11, 2021 after a long battle with depression. Russell founded Those Licensing People in 2013 and ove...r the last decade has worked with companies including Sooty, The Magic Roundabout, Roobard & Custard, and The Little Prince. Aside from licensing, Russell was also well respected in the children's broadcast industry, having created and produced a number of children's TV series, including Little Monsters. Russell was married to his wife, Janine, and together they had daughters Abigail and Leah. In 2017, Russell's youngest daughter, Leah, joined the business and will continue her father's work.Show more

Klash Singh, a sales manager at HTI Toys, passed away on Thursday, July 27. Klash spent over 20 years in the toy industry, working at HTI for a number of years as well as Kandy Toys.