Rose Najmy

Rose Farran Najmy, of East Main Road Portsmouth, formerly of White Plains, NY Lennox, MA, died Monday, October 11, 2004 at Newport Hospital Newport, RI. Born in Brooklyn, NY, she was the daughter of the late Philip and Mary Sherbrekh Farran. Mrs. Najmy started work at the age of 15 in a handbag factory in NYC, then during WWII she sewed parachutes for the US Air Force. After WWII she attended Parsons School of Design where she studied Art and Interior Design. In 1954, she moved to White Plains, NY and started an interior design company. She worked for commercial clients including American Can, IBM, Bulova Watch, Ciba-Geigy as well as residential projects in Westchester and Fairfield Counties. In 1968 she expanded her business by starting Certified Draperies a manufacturing company in Mt. Vernon, NY. Her design background led to her partnership in Nuway Kitchen Showrooms, in 1972 where she built trade showrooms and developed a countertop and cabinet manufacturing business. In 1980 she co-founded Home Textures, and interior renovation company based in Great Barrington, MA.In 1983 through family partnerships, she purchased and developed properties in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, where she purchased Old Almy Village on East Main Road in Portsmouth and co founded Newport Kitchens. She is survived by two sons Joseph E. Najmy of New Canaan, CT, and Stephan P. Najmy of Portsmouth, RI, three brothers George Farran and James Farran both of Brooklyn, NY, and Louis Farran of Pembroke Pines, FL, two sisters Leona Borday of Jamestown, RI, and Gloria Farran of Brooklyn, NY, and seven grandchildren.She was the sister of the late Victor Farran and Josephine Sheredos. Her funeral will be held on Friday, October 15, 2004, at 8:30 AM from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a Mass of Christian burial at 10:00 AM in St. Barnabas Church, 1697 East Main Road, Portsmouth. Burial will be private. Donations in her memory may be made to the Diabetes Foundation Of RI, 209 Cottage Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860.