Crowd Turns Out to Remember Kaltman
A cross-section of the Los Angeles manufacturing and textile industry gathered on June 22 to remember textile executive, philanthropist and former president of the Textile Association of Los Angeles Hal Kaltman.
Held in the fashion theater of the California Market Center in Los Angeles, the service included remembrances from family, friends and colleagues.
“Whether you knew him as Harold, Hesh or Hal, he was a friend to you,” said friend, colleague and fellow TALA officer Ann Davis.
The night before the memorial service, Kaltman’s name was added to the Ruth Bregman Memorial Wall on the CMC’s second-floor mezzanine, Davis said.
The service began with a remembrance by Marvin Jordan, friend and CMC security officer, who recalled the day Kaltman discovered they both had served in the Navy. Jordan was carrying his uniform to the cleaners on the second floor of the building. When Kaltman passed him in the hall, he turned to say, “Hey, Chief.”
Jordan, a retired chief petty officer, wore his dress whites for the service. He presented Kaltman’s family with his personal flag, which bears the insignia for chief petty officer.
“Hal, like me, was a Navy man,” Jordan said. “I would like to promote my friend from petty officer, second class to chief petty officer.”
Kaltman was an integral member of the board of the Fashion Industries Guild of Cedars-Sinai, helping to organize and host the annual charity event that raises funds for the medical center. Over the years, the group has raised more than $22 million for many buildings and units at Cedars-Sinai—in particular, many pediatric-care programs and units. Fellow Fashion Industries Guild board member Larry Baum remembered the two sides of Kaltman’s personality.
“Hal, as we know, could be difficult,” Baum said. “He was a gruff guy. He was absolutely unrelenting. He was downright combative. I loved that about him. He thought like a very wise man but communicated in the language of the people. He didn’t mince words, which is putting it lightly. He didn’t hold back on his feelings. [But] I believe Hal had one love that surpassed all other loves: He loved children. He had a vision for the Fashion Industries Guild. When we raised funds for pediatrics, he knew what the future is. Hal loved his children. He absolutely adored his grandchildren. When he became a great-grandfather, I couldn’t get him off the phone.”
Kaltman’s daughter Karyn Lee brought the house down with stories of her childhood—including visiting her father’s office in the CalMart, now called the California Market Center.
“The Mart was his home for 40 years,” she said. “I grew up in this building. I thought it was magical. I think my first words were ‘sample sale.’”
She regaled the crowd with a story about an elementary-school assignment to come up with words that began with the letter q but do not contain the letter u. Her father suggested “Qiana,” the luxury nylon fabric popular in the 1970s. But Lee’s teacher told her it was not a real word.
“He showed up at Fulbright Elementary school with a bolt of Qiana fabric,” she said. “It is, in fact, a word, and I received full credit.”
Lee concluded with her father’s favorite toast: “May you live as long as you want, and may you never want as long as you live.”—Alison A. Nieder
