Philanthropist and fur executive Mary Kakas, 78, died May 24 at Mass General Hospital. The cause of death was heart failure, according to her son William Berkeley. Raised in Boston, Kakas studied at Boston College and went on to work as a model with Maggie Inc., doing regional jobs for Clairol and other companies. Throughout her life, Kakas valued the power of style. During her first marriage to Joseph Berkeley, she put some of those lessons in poise to use, by starting the Mary Berkeley Charm School in Scituate, Mass. After that union ended in divorce in 1975, the following year she married G. Jordan Kakas Jr., whose family had owned Edward F. Kakas & Sons since 1858. As president of the fur company in the mid-Nineties, she added the title of chief executive officer — a first for the family-owned operation started in 1858. Housed in a four-story Newbury Street building, Kakas Furs was known for its Old World decor with dark wood paneling, antiques, custom-made tables and Oriental rugs. The 16,000-square-foot space included private fitting rooms, a design studio and production. Kakas once said, “My father-in-law, George Kakas, was my mentor. He was a tough boss, but I earned his respect because
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