About Marilyn Oshman
Lived 1939 – 2024 (aged 84–85). Marilyn Oshman was a businessperson.
Marilyn Oshman (September 29, 1939 – December 22, 2024) was the chairman of Oshman's Sporting Goods and the company's largest shareholder. When her founding father Jake Oshman, a Russian orphan, died in 1965, Marilyn's husband, Alvin Lubetkin, took over. She spent time doing volunteer work (e.g., serving as president and chairman of Houston's Contemporary Arts Museum). As part of her fundraising efforts, she learned to deal with the business community. In 1978 Oshman and Lubetkin divorced. He stayed on at the company and serves as president and CEO. (Their two children also work for the company.)
In 1979, Oshman became a member of the board but only became actively involved in 1989. In 1993, she became chairman.
In 1980, Oshman formed a non-profit foundation to preserve the then fragile and deteriorating Orange Show Monument. She reached out to 21 well-known members of the community representing a diverse cross-section of Houston - Dominique de Menil, Nina Cullinan, members of ZZ Top, and others - to assist in the purchase and restoration of the site. In 1982, the Orange Show Monument opened back up to the public and the newly hired staff began to integrate the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art into Houston's cultural life through a wide variety of programs.
In 1996, the company had a total of 129 stores. Twenty-seven were SuperSports USA stores, which generated 65% of the company's sales. As of August 1997, Oshman's had 37 SuperSports USA stores and had closed or was closing all but 31 of its smaller stores. The big box stores, which average , feature batting cages, golf simulators, putting greens, basketball half-courts, racquet sports areas, and inline skating areas.
Oshman died on December 22, 2024, at the age of 85.
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Important facts
People in Marilyn Oshman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Marilyn Oshman's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Marilyn Oshman?
American businessman (1939–2024)
When was Marilyn Oshman born?
Marilyn Oshman was born in 1939.
When did Marilyn Oshman die?
Marilyn Oshman died on 22 December 2024.
What was Marilyn Oshman's occupation?
Marilyn Oshman was a businessperson.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Marilyn Oshman. https://biography.guide/marilyn-oshman/
MLA: "Marilyn Oshman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/marilyn-oshman/.
Chicago: "Marilyn Oshman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/marilyn-oshman/.
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