Based in Philadelphia for most of his career, Mr. Samuels also
partnered frequently with ad agencies in the city, such as Gray
& Rogers and N.W. Ayer & Son, which "pioneered the use of
fine art in advertising and established the industry's first art
department," according to Ad Age.
Mr. Samuels was born September 24, 1931, in Trenton, New Jersey.
In high school, he gained entrance to The Cooper Union for his
design skills but couldn't attend because of the cost of room and
board. Instead, he attended Lycoming College in Williamsport,
Pennsylvania, where his family had moved.
After college, he served in the army and, in 1960, began his
career by joining the Berman Steinhardt Advertising Agency. He
partnered with Mike Fiorillo to start the Fiorillo and Samuels Art
Agency in 1964, then founded his own studio, Stu Samuels, Inc.,
after Mr. Fiorillo retired in 1974. He moved to Florida in
2000.
He was particularly proud of work he did with the firm Soabar.
"It made labels for clothing," Ms. Samuels said. When Mr. Samuels
started working with the company, its product looked "like an
old-fashioned label that these lumberjacks would put on their
clothes. Ten years later, he's working for the same company, and
now the labels have a barcode."
Ms. Samuels often joked that that she was "maybe tied" with work
for her husband's affections, and he liked to say that loving your
work is the foundation of success.
"He felt happiest drawing at the board, thinking," Ms. Samuels
said.
In addition to Ms. Samuels, he is survived by his daughter Linda
Steinberger and her husband, Jay; daughter Sandra Rubin and her
husband, Kenneth Sternberger; and his grandchildren Joseph Charles
Tucker, Harris Samuels Tucker, Brett Louis Rubin, Jennifer
Steinberger, Jessica Steinberger and Laurel Steinberger. A brother,
Charles Samuels, and a grandson, Alexander Rubin, died before
him.