David Mandie, an Australian philanthropist and businessman who owned the James Richardson duty-free stores in Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, has died.
Mandie, who was chairman of the James Richardson wholesale wines and spirits business that branched out to corporate cosmetics, furnishings and property investments, worked until a brief recent illness that led to his death Wednesday at 93, according to a statement issued by the company.
He was a frequent visitor to Israel and made several investments there.
An avid sports fan, Mandie was a sponsor of Maccabi sports activities and had a pavilion named after him in Melbourne.
He also was the No. 1 ticket holder of the Richmond Tigers Australian rules football team, whose players will wear black armbands in their match Sunday as a mark of respect.
The London native moved to Australia with his family when he was a year old. The family opened a tobacco store in Melbourne; Mandie joined the business at 13. In 1953 he bought the James Richardson wholesale liquor and tobacco business.
In 1965 he was awarded an MBE, the Member of the Order of the British Empire. The citation included his presidency of the Young Men’s Hebrew Association. He was awarded an OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in 1980 for community service. In 2003 he received an Order of Australia as a “benefactor to a broad range of medical, arts and sporting organizations, and as an executive member of several committees and associations promoting commerce, tourism and international trade.”
Mandie’s funeral is scheduled for Friday, and his offices in Israel, Australia and New Zealand will close for the day.
