Steven Irving Wasserman, a longtime executive in the carpet industry with Barwick and Monarch Carpet, died Oct. 4. He was 83.

Born on Sunday, Dec. 13, 1925 in the Bronx, New York, Wasserman began his career in the industry in the mid-‘50s, working for Barwick Carpet Mills as a regional manager and later as national sales manager. In 1971, at the request of Gene Barwick, Wasserman was named president and CEO of Monarch Carpet Distributors of Illinois. He moved with his family to Northbrook, Ill., where he lived until his retirement from Monarch in 1981, when he relocated to Richardson, Texas.

Wasserman served in WWII as a radio navigator specializing in Morse Code. After being honorably discharged, Steven attended New York University where he graduated from the School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance with a Bachelor’s degree in 1952.

His family remembers him as an avid and competitive tennis player throughout his life, ranked number one in his community for many years. It was his enthusiasm for the sport that helped introduce Wasserman to his future wife, Joanna, while on vacation. He also had a passion for investing and predicting stock market trends, and loved animals, particularly dogs.

Wasserman is survived by his wife Joanna Wasserman, of Richardson, Texas; daughter Stacey Horowitz; son-in-law Kenneth Horowitz; grandson Avi Horowitz of San Mateo, Calif.; and daughter Jennifer Wasserman of Rockwall, Texas.

Memorial services were held on Oct. 6 at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas.