Quiet Empire: The Life, Business, and Family of Morris Gorelick

Biography

I have been drawn to certain lives because they read like maps of the century they crossed. Morris Gorelick is one of those lives. Born July 15, 1921 in Ozarichi, Belarus, he arrived in the United States as a small child when his family passed through Ellis Island in 1923. He grew up in a world of tight neighborhoods and industrious parents, worked at Todd Shipyards on Harbor Island during the World War II era, and later built a modest commercial empire in the Pacific Northwest. He lived into his late 90s and died November 19, 2019 at age 98. The arc from immigrant child to business owner is clear in the dates and numbers, and yet the texture of his life comes from the people around him as much as the enterprises he ran.

Family and personal relationships

Family framed Morris. I find that a life becomes legible through its relationships, and his family structure reads like a small constellation. He married Evelyn Brounstein in 1950. Evelyn died in 1990. In 1993 he married Tina Caraker. He had children who carried forward different portions of his story and who later played roles in the business and legal events of his later years. One son rose to international fame as a musician. Other children and grandchildren preserved the family lineage in quieter ways.

I introduce each of these people because their names anchor the narrative. Some were partners in business. Some provided daily care. Some inherited the public echo of the family name through music. Together they formed the lattice of obligations, loyalties, disputes, and affection that shaped Morris’s later years.

Career, finance, and work achievements

Morris strikes me as both a craftsman and an entrepreneur. He co-founded the plumbing supply company Thrifty Supply Company in 1951 with his brother Harold, and the company grew throughout the Pacific Northwest. The most obvious professional accomplishment on his ledger is that foundation. He had previously worked as a wartime laborer at Todd Shipyards on Harbor Island. Instead of being ostentatious, his career is consistent and modest. He handled operations, managed branches, and put profits into new businesses and family stability.

His later years are punctuated with numbers. Morris made a number of financial transactions and investments in 2018 at the age of 97, which eventually attracted legal action and media attention. He gave his daughter Paula a financial power of attorney. Large funds were linked to investment agreements made that year by records and reporting, and public summaries described certain deals as worth close to $900,000. These incidents sparked legal investigation and affected the last phase of his financial life.

Nevertheless, I consider his financial life to be complex. Decades of operating Thrifty Supply have resulted in consistent corporate revenues. Small investments are made, along with the sporadic check or loan for business enterprises suggested by friends. Additionally, every lengthy life eventually results in the family accounting of care expenses, legal fees, and estate concerns.

Extended timeline

I prefer timelines because they let facts sit side by side and speak to one another.

This timeline shows long stretches of steady business and family life and a compressed set of legal events in the final two years. The late-life financial items stand out because of precise dates and dollar figures that were reported and contested.

Recent news and social mentions

I discovered two concentric patterns when I examined the traces that were still visible to the public. After November 19, 2019, family announcements, obituary notes, and personal remembrances posted by friends and family are considered private. The immigration narrative, the family company, the numerous grandchildren, and the mourning customs are all highlighted in those texts.

The other is legal and public: because one of Morris’s children is a well-known artist, the 2018 transactions and the ensuing arguments generated court records and news headlines. Headlines about big money and purported misappropriation distilled complicated litigation into brief sentences. The family name is used in music and family tributes on social media, and it is mentioned in legal and local news contexts when elder financial decision-making is discussed.

FAQ

Who was Morris Gorelick?

I see Morris as an immigrant child who became a builder of a small business life in America. Born July 15, 1921, he worked during the World War II era, co-founded a plumbing-supply company in 1951 with his brother Harold, raised a family in Seattle, and lived until November 19, 2019.

Is he related to the musician Kenny G?

Yes. Kenneth Gorelick, the smooth-jazz saxophonist known as Kenny G, is one of Morris’s sons. That relationship is central to how the family name appears in public accounts.

Who were his spouses and when did he marry?

He married Evelyn Brounstein in 1950. Evelyn died in 1990. He later married Tina Caraker in 1993.

Who are his children and grandchildren?

His children include Brian Gorelick, Kenneth Gorelick, Paula Gorelick, and Christine Mayek. His grandchildren named in family notices include David, Max, John, and Noah.

What business did he found?

He co-founded Thrifty Supply Company in 1951, a plumbing-supply business run with his brother Harold that expanded regionally in the Pacific Northwest.

What financial or legal controversies occurred late in his life?

In 2018, at about age 97, he entered into investment agreements and signed checks associated with new business ventures. He granted a power of attorney to his daughter Paula. Those transactions later prompted legal review and public attention, with reporting highlighting large sums connected to the investments.

When did he die?

He died November 19, 2019 at age 98.

Who were his parents and siblings?

His parents were Harry Gorelick and Esther Martin. Siblings included Harold, Edward, and Donald. These relations formed the family network that supported early business ventures and the Thrifty Supply founding.