Marvin Wool, a chemist and founder of Dash MultiCorp., a national holding company with 15 subsidiary corporations, and a philanthropist who supported both Jewish and general causes, died Tuesday, Dec. 9.  He was 86 and a lifetime resident of St. Louis. 

Mr. Wool was born in St. Louis on Oct. 10, 1928 and was a lifetime resident of St. Louis. He attended St. Louis University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in 1948 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1956. After graduation, he went to work for the St. Louis-based Dennis Chemical, makers of plastic products.

After working for Dennis Chemical for 11 years, he founded M-R Plastics and Coatings in 1964, in which his wife, Harlene Wool, was an active partner. The company formulated and manufactured specialty paints and coatings. In 1973, he founded Dash Multi-Corp, and served as president and CEO of the business.  He also served as chairman of Allegiant Bancorp, the seventh largest banking institution in Missouri.

Throughout his long career, Mr. Wool and his wife, Harlene Shucart Wool, were committed to philanthropic endeavors.  They served on the boards of the St. Louis University Board of Trustees and the St. Andrew’s Foundation. They donated $500,000 to the St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation, which supports initiatives to help St. Andrew’s provide area seniors with housing and services to promote their independence and quality of life.

“My wife and I believe people should do things for the benefit others,” Mr. Wool said at the time of their gift to St. Andrew’s.  “So we give away a lot of money.”

The Wools were also active supporters of Mr. Wool’s alma mater, St. Louis University.  He was a member of the SLU DuBourg Society.  In recognition of the Wools’ generosity over the years, the ballroom at the university’s Student Center was named the “Harlene and Marvin Wool Ballroom” in 2006.   Their portrait is on one of its walls.

Mr. Wool was a past president and generous benefactor of B’nai El Congregation and later became a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth after B’nai El and Shaare Emeth entered into a collaborative arrangement.  He was also a past board member of the New Mount Sinai Cemetery Association; a past president of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Society for Technion and served on the boards of the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community Center.  The Marvin & Harlene Wool Arts & Education Building at the JCC is named in recognition of their generous support of the JCC and its arts programs.

In addition to his wife of 64 years, Mr. Wool’s survivors include the couple’s three children: Denise “Deni” Wool, Sandy (Karen) Wool and Amye (Dan) Carrigan; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the mausoleum at the New Mount Sinai Cemetery, 8430 Gravois Road, at noon on Thursday, Dec. 11.  Visitation will start at 11:15 a.m. at New Mt. Sinai.  Rabbi Jim Bennett will officiate the service. Burial will be at New Mount Sinai. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.