Obituaries

Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online:
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Choosing

Love

DAVID SACHS
Editorial Assistant

lir

alter Cykiert was the
only member of his large
Warsaw family who did-
n't perish in the
Holocaust. In fact, he was one of only
a handful of Jews who survived both
the building-by-building annihilation
of the Warsaw Ghetto after the 1943
uprising and World War IL
Mr. Cykiert, 76, of Commerce
Township, who died of a heart attack
March 26, was exposed as a youth to
the extremes of human existence —
love and hate.
He witnessed the hateful glee that
some of the Polish population
expressed as they saw the Jewish
ghetto go up in flames. He also
remembered his "Polish mother," the
Righteous Gentile, who saved his life
by hiding him from then until the
end of the war.
As Rabbi Aaron Bergman said at the
funeral March 28 at Hebrew Memorial
Chapel, Mr. Cykiert could have come
away from his years of trauma a cold,
bitter, spiritually dead person.
To the contrary, Mr. Cykiert was
known at Congregation Beth Ahm for
his positive attitude, his friendly, kib-
itzing nature, his dedication to
Judaism and his love for the family he
built in America.
Settling in Detroit, the man who
lived through the destruction of the
Warsaw Ghetto became a builder of
houses. The man who lost his parents,
four brothers and two sisters in the
Holocaust built a large and close-knit
family of his own. And the man who
was pummeled with every reason to
abandon faith in humankind and God
became a cheerful activist and strong
supporter of his religion and syna-
gogue.
Mr. Cykiert was a Shabbat regular
at Beth Ahm, where he served as presi-
dent from 1985-87. He used his suc-
cess as a builder to make improve-
ments to the synagogue building. He
was a strong supporter of Hillel Day
School of Metropolitan Detroit, where
all three of his children and all seven of
his grandchildren attended.

3/31

2000

142

Walter Cykiert

According to Rabbi Bergman, Mr.
Cykiert felt he had died in the ghetto,
and the rest of his life should be spent
performing mitzvot.
Son Stuart Cykiert said, "He truly
believed that by being a good Jew, rais-
ing a family to be good Jews, by send-
ing his children to a Jewish day school
and supporting Jewish causes — that
was a way to beat Hitler and to beat
the possibility of it ever happening
again."
Another son, Dr. Andrew Cykiert,
said, "He was a charitable man. That's
what he taught, how to be affectionate
with one another. He taught us to be
honest, forgiving and respectful to all
people. He was a very powerful man in
that regard."
His young grandchildren at the
funeral described his "hugs and kisses"
relationship with his wife, Shirley, as
like "two birds in love."
In 1993, Mr. Cykiert attended the
50th anniversary of the Warsaw
Ghetto Uprising with Stuart, who said
his father took great satisfaction in
meeting with Vice President Al Gore
after the ceremonies and telling him
the story of the Ghetto.
Walter Cykiert is survived by his
wife, Shirley Cykiert; sons and daugh-
ters-in-law Stuart Cykiert of West
Bloomfield, Jay and Heather Cykiert
and Dr. Andrew and Stacy Cykiert, all
of Farmington Hills; mother-in-law
and father-in-law Morris and Sarah
Galer; brother-in-law and sister-in-law
Herb and Cecile Cohen; grandchildren
Denise Cykiert, Joshua Cykiert, Ryan
Cykiert, Justin Cykiert, Nathan
Cykiert, Carly Cykiert and Arica
Cykiert.
Contributions may be made to
Beth Ahm, Walter and Shirley Cykiert
Fund, 5075 W. Maple Road, West _
Bloomfield, MI 48322 or Hillel Day
School, 32200 Middlebelt Road,
Farmington-Hills, MI 48334.
Interment was at Beth Abraham
Cemetery.

DORA ACKER, 93, of Huntington
Woods, died March 26.
She is survived by her sons and
daughters-in-law, Edwin "Lenny" and
Marilyn Acker of Huntington Woods,
Herbert and Carol Acker; brother and
sister-in-law, Sol and Dina Gold of
Keego Harbor; sisters, Sarah Keywell of
Boca Raton, Fla., Frieda Massover of
Southfield; sister-in-law, Rose Gold;
grandchildren, Dr. Steven Acker,
Gerald and Caryn Acker, Sara and
Shimon Nahear, Lawrence Acker,
Dawn Panell, David Acker; great-
grandchildren, Jared, Evan, Lee-Ann,
Jordan, Lindsay, Josh, Melissa. Mrs.
Acker was the beloved wife of the late
Jack Acker; loving sister of the late
Irving Gold.
Contributions may be made to
American Cancer Society, 29350
Southfield Road, Suite 110, Southfield,
MI 48076 or to a charity of one's
choice.
Services and interment at
Machpelah Cemetery. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

ERIC ADELMAN, 48, of West

Bloomfield, died March 22. Mr. Adel
was a dental laboratory executive.
He is survived by his wife, Paula
Adelman; sons, David Adelman,
Michael Adelman; daughter, Andrea
Adelman; mother, Sylvia Adelman;
brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Marc and
Karen Adelman of West Bloomfield;
sister-in-law and brother-in-law,
Kathryn and Matthew Chappelle;
mother-in-law and father-in-law,
Elizabeth Nicholas and Philip
Nicholas. Mr. Adelman was the loving
son of the late David Adelman.
Interment at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
directed to Gift of Life, 2203 Platt,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 or the American
Cancer Society. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

S. LAWRENCE "LARRY" ARONS-
SON, 79, of Southfield, died March

25. Mr. Aronsson was a partner and
CPA of Mechanical Mfg. Inc.; he
retired in 1979 as director, treasurer
and controller. In 1943, he was a CPA
for Price Waterhouse. He was also a
special associate professor of accounting
at Wayne State University. Mr.
Aronsson graduated from the U-M in
1940 with a bachelor of arts degree in
economics and a master of arts degree
in accounting in 1943.
He was a member of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek as well as their account-
ing consultant. He was also on the
board of directors of Congregation

Shaarey Zedek, a past president of the
Young Married League, member of the
synagogue's men's club and a member
of the ritual, building and youth com-
mittees. Mr. Aronsson served as a presi-
dent of the Vernor School PTA, vice
president of Michigan Region of
United Synagogues of America, a past
director of Congregation Beth Shalom,
board member and past president of
the Senior Adult Council of the Jewish
Community Center, board member of
the Jewish Community Center and the
Jewish Community Council. He was
also a past treasurer and director of
Reach Alternative Homes, life member
of the American Institute of CPA's and
the Michigan Association of CPA's, a
member of Beaubien School Planning
Commission, board of directors of
Midrasha College of Jewish Studies and
a volunteer for the Jewish Information
Services and Institute for Retired
Professionals, where he was a facilitator
on current issues.
Mr. Aronsson is survived by his
daughters and sons-in-law, Elisabeth
and Robert Shubow of West
Bloomfield, Patricia Aronsson and
Emanuel Silberstein of Washington,
D.C.; Joyce Aronsson and Ernie
Mueller of Maryland; grandchildren,
Jennifer and Lauren Shubow and Eric
and Jessica Mueller; sister and brother-
in-law, Shirley and J. Burton Keys of
Florida; sisters-in-law and brother-in-
law, Ruth Silverman, Beatrice Rain,
Morton and Cookie Oppenheim. He
was the beloved husband of the late
Dolores Aronsson; the loving father of
the late Richard Aronsson. Interment
at Clover Hill Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be directed to the
Hospice of Michigan. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

FRANCES "BOB" CHAPIN, 74, of
Troy, died March 25. Mr. Chapin was
a principal at Hampton Middle School
for 19 years; he retired in 1990. He
was a graduate of U-M and received his
Ph.D. at International University of
LaJolla, Calif. He was also a member
of Retired Jewish Professionals at the
Jewish Community Center.
Mr. Chapin is survived by his wife,
Karen Chapin; son, Bernard Chapin of
Chicago; daughter, Esther Chapin of
Madison Heights.
Interment at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be directed to
the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

MORTON L. COHEN, 85, of

Southfield, died March 24. Mr. Cohen
was a scrap metal executive. He was a