Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.com

Guardian Of The Memories

guarded" since 1994 by a 155-millime-
ter howitzer, and the pond dedicated to
his mother.
The procession ended up front, by
ach morning for the past half
Oppenheim Circle, where he took his
century Royal Oppenheim
place with his father and loved ones.
would stop by Machpelah
Mr. Oppenheim's daughter, Valerie
Cemetery in Ferndale and
Hart, said, "The cemetery became his
take two or three walking tours of the
one quest in life. He put a lot of his
grounds, making sure all was up to his
money into it. He wanted it to be a
standards. Only then would he head to
showplace, a source of
his downtown Detroit
pride, a park where
law office.
families would feel at
Mr. Oppenheim's
ease.
father, David, had a
"He was especially
dream to assist the
interested in the veter-
Jewish community in
ans' area. He under-
Detroit. The elder
stood the trauma of
Oppenheim, a founder
losing a loved one in a
of the Jewish Home
war, that you are
for Aged, saw a need
never finished with it.
to provide a dignified
"He never took a
final resting place for
salary. He did it for
Jews, especially the
the benefit of the
indigent. In 1911, he
Jewish community."
purchased land and
Mr. Oppenheim
created the cemetery
maintained his law
on Woodward Avenue
office in the Ford
between Eight and
Royal Oppenheim
Building until age 93,
Nine Mile roads.
where he built an
When his father
estate planning, real property and corpo-
died in 1943, Mr. Oppenheim set out
rate practice and also pursued entrepre-
to honor his father's dream, devoting the
neurial ventures. Anna Richardson
last half of his life to restoring and
became his secretary when she was 18
improving the cemetery. It is not quite
and stayed for 67 years. "He was a love-
certain at what point the dream became
ly, wonderful person to work for," she
less of his father's and more of his own.
said. "I felt part of the family."
Under his stewardship the non-
Mr. Oppenheim was a member of
profit cemetery has thrived, undergo-
Union Lodge of the Masons,
ing numerous capital improvements
Franklin Hills Country Club and
and beautification projects, including
Temple Beth El.
the chapel that opened in 1987 for
He is survived by his daughters
on-site funerals. A perpetual mainte-
and son-in-law, Patricia Oppenheim
nance fund was established.
Rice, Valerie and Robert Hart;
Paul Saville, who worked closely with
brother and sister-in-law Martin and
Mr. Oppenheim for the past 23 years as
Jeanne Oppenheim of Carlsbad,
Machpelah general manager, said, "The
Calif.; grandchildren Amy Levin and
cemetery was his baby. He wanted to
Matthew Ragen, Arthur Levin,
make sure his father's dream continued.
Fredrick Levin, Alexandra and Kurt
He always wanted this to be remem-
Bosshardt, Gregory and Karin Hart,
bered as a jewel of Jewish cemeteries."
Katherine Hart; and five great-
Royal Allen Oppenheim, in recent
grandchildren.
years a resident of Hallandale, Fla., died
Mr. Oppenheim was the beloved
July 15 at age 96 from pneumonia. He
husband of the late Elsa Freeman
suffered a stroke two years ago.
Oppenheim, the loving son of the late
On Wednesday, Mr. Oppenheim
David and Sarah Oppenheim, the dear
took one last tour of the land he so
brother of the late Theodore
cherished. After his funeral at the
Oppenheim, the late_Edwin
Machpelah chapel, his casket was
Oppenheim and the late Ethel Barker.
wheeled through the same tree-lined
The family requests that charitable
paths he tread thousands of times. He
donations
in his memory be given to a
passed the Bible mausoleum where
charity of one's choice. Arrangements by
retired prayer books are buried, the chil-
Ira Kaufman Chapel. Li
dren's section, the veterans' section

DAVID SACHS
Editorial Assistant

m

7/23
1999

146 Detroit Jewish News

"

BETTY ABRAMS, 85, of Orchard

Lake, died July 19.
Mrs. Abrams is survived by her
daughters and sons-in-law, Ilene and
Jack Friedman of West Bloomfield,
Doreen and Irving Lichtman of
Orchard Lake; grandchildren Lori
and Paul Sander, Shelly and David
Soble, Sandra and Dave Whalen,
Lisa and Dale Guigar; great-grand-
children Michael, Brian, Noah, Zoe,
Nicholas and Ryan; brother and sis-
ter-in-law Jack and Marianne Moore
of Southfield.
She was the beloved wife of the
late Nathan Abrams.
Interment at B'nai Israel
Memorial Gardens. Contributions
may be made to a charity of one's
choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

ANN KORSON BERGER, 88, of

Southfield, died July 15. Mrs. Berger
was a self-employed electrologist.
She is survived by her daughter,
Eleanor Gorlitsky of New York; son
Seymour Berger of Southfield;
grandchildren Melody Joy Darragh,
Dawn Star Cani, Julie Hope Lallo,
Ellen Sasson, Jody Berger; great-
grandchildren Joseph Glen Darragh,
Michele Lauren Darragh, Joseph
Yale Sasson.
Interment at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

SARAH CERN, 77, of Ra'anana,

Israel, died March 21. Mrs. Cern
grew up in the Delray neighborhood
of Detroit.
She is survived by her husband,
David; son and daughter-in-law
Yehuda and Rivkah Cern of Efrat,
Israel; daughters and sons-in-law
Marlene and Zvi Gitelman of Ann
Arbor, Naomi and Mayer Rubin of
New Jersey; brother and sister-in-law
Fred and Ruth Lax of Bloomfield
Hills; sister-in-law Judy Lax of Kfar
Adumim, Israel; grandchildren Dan
(Ahuva) Cern, Naava (Mordechai)
Assis, Boaz (Tova) Cern, Michael
and Avigayil Cern, Yitzhak
(Jennifer) and Miriam Gitelman,
Adina, Naftali and Yonatan Rubin;
six great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Cern was the daughter of
the late Sigmond Lax and the late
Fanny Lax.
Interment in Jerusalem.

Contributions may be made to Amit
Women, c/o 22633 Shevington,
Southfield, MI 48034 or Shalva--
The Israel Association for the
Handicapped Child and Family, 90
Shaulson St. P.O.B. 35199,
Jerusalem.

MAURICE IRVING COLLINS, 86,

of Southfield, died July 12.
He is survived_ by his wife, Shirley'
Collins; daughter-in-law Lorraine
Goldberg of Oak Park.
Services and interment were at
Nusach H'ari Cemetery.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.

SOL DAVIDSON, 95, former

Detroiter of Los Angeles, died July
18.
He his survived by his sons,
Nathan (Phyllis) Davidson and
Maurice (Karen) Davidson; step-
daughter Shirley Sway; seven grand-
children and eight great-grandchil-
dren. Services in California.

GOLDIE DORFMAN, 78, of

Margate, Fla., died July 14.
She is survived by her sons and
daughter-in-law, Edward Dorfman
of Walled Lake, Alan and Fran
Dorfman of Roswell, Ga.; daughters
and son-in-law Judy Paris of
Arlington, Tex., Mary and Don
Vratanina of Southfield; sisters and -
brother-in-law Joyce Mutnick of
Margate, Ann and Meyer Kaplan of
Pembroke Pines, Fla.; grandchildren
Barbara Dorfman, Deborah
Dorfman, Roslyn Dorfman, Michael
Paris.
Mrs. Dorfman was the beloved
wife of the late Joseph Dorfman.
Contributions may be made to
Hospice by the Sea, 1531 W.
Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton, FL
33486 or American Cancer Society,
29350 Southfield, Ste. 110,
Southfield, MI 48076. Chapel ser-
vices and interment at Machpelah
Cemetery. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

JACK ELLIS'H, 85, former

Detroiter of Scottsdale, Ariz., died
July 16.
He is survived by his daughters
and sons-in-law, Beth and Edward
Borray of Los Angeles, Susan and
Arnie Lakeyn of Scottsdale; grand-