Philanthropist, Friend
To Jewish Community

Well known in civic, political and
charity circles, Mrs. Alix retired from
her career when she and her husband,
the founder of Southfield-based Jay Alix
arvanne Hanson Alix,
& Associates and Questor Partners
45, business woman,
Funds, had children. She had
philan-
been director of mergers and
thropist
acquisitions for J.P. Industries.
and wife of turnaround
In addition, she ran her family's
entrepreneur Jay Alix, is
industrial abrasives business, the
believed to have drowned
Hanson
Co., in Ferndale, until
Aug. 9 in the Greek Isles,
1985,
and
again after her
where the Orchard Lake
father's death in 1997.
couple was vacationing
"Her sense of joy and adven-
with their two
ture, her generosity and concern
young daughters.
for others, her enthusiasm and
Although not Jewish,
curiosity about life in general,
the Alix family has very
Maryanne Alix
are
the legacies she has left not
close ties to the Jewish
only
to her children, but to all
community through per-
the rest of us who knew her," said Susan
sonal friendships and Jewish organiza-
Hollobaugh, alongtime friend from
tional support.
"They have a profound sense of iden- Grosse Pointe Park.
The Alixes are supporters of several
tity with the poor, the needy and the
Jewish
organizations, including the
sick, sharing with Jewish philanthropists
ORT-Hermelin
College in Israel, Jewish
a common concern for elevating the
Federation
of
Metropolitan
Detroit and
quality of life for our community," says
Jewish
Vocational
Service.
Rabbi Irwin Groner of Congregation
A member of the board of directors
Shaarey Zedek, a friend of the family for
of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS
several years. He also spoke at an Aug.
Foundation, Mrs. Alix also supported
16 memorial service.
the Michigan Humane Society, the
Mrs. Alix, a former corporate devel-
Suzuki Royal Oak Institute of Music,
opment executive, failed to return from
HAVEN of Oakland County and the
a "wave runner" ride in the Aegean Sea,
University Cancer Foundation found-
where the Alixes' chartered boat was
ed by her husband, among her many
moored. On the morning of Aug. 16,
causes.
her body was recovered from the water.
Mrs. Alix was an active fund-raiser
"The Alixes are dear friends of the
for Democratic races, hosting First Lady
Jewish people," says Bingham Farms'
Hillary Rodham Clinton in her home
Doreen Hermelin, a close friend of the
family for many years. "They never look on two occasions and raising funds for
presidential, Michigan legislative and
at religion, just the person. Some of
Detroit mayoral races.
their dearest friends are in the Jewish
In addition to her husband and chil-
community."
dren, Mrs. Alix is survived by her moth-
Describing Mrs. Alix as a "very, very
er, Betty Hanson of Birmingham;
special girl, a brilliant woman,"
father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joseph
Hermelin also referred to her as a won-
and Christine Alix.
derful home manager and amazing
A private sunset ceremony for family
mother to the couple's daughters,
and
friends was held at sea Aug. 13 near
Christine and Anika.
Naxos,
Greece, about 90 miles southeast
The Alix family turned to Ira
of
Athens.
Kaufman Funeral Chapel Director
Donations may be made to the
David Techner, who has long-time
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS
involvement with children who have
Foundation, 2950 31st St., Santa
experienced loss, to meet with the
young girls. "I tried to help them under- Monica, CA 90405; the University
Cancer Foundation, Attn: Laura
stand and appreciate the reality of not
Stern, 4000 Town Center, Southfield,
just the tragedy, but understand the
MI 48075; or the SRO Institute of
beauty of her life," he said. "In the
Music, 1901 E. 11 Mile Road, Royal
midst of this tragedy, we focused on
Oak, MI 48067. ❑
what an incredible mother she was,"
J. B. Dixon, spokesperson for the Alix
said Techner, also a personal associate of
family, contributed to this story.
the Alix family.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer

la

kA

8/18
2000 •

138

The Family Doctor

University Medical School and
trained students in his office.
Dr. Aaron Milstone of Nashville,
Tenn., was a patient of Dr. Solomon
n his 52 years as a physician,
Dr. Barney Solomon was both as a teen and as a WSU medical stu-
dent went through a training rota-
a throwback to the past and
tion in the doctor's office. "Barney .
an inspiration to future doc-
Solomon was an incredible diagnos-
tors. He dedicated his life to his spe-
tician," Dr.
cialty of family medicine,
Milstone said.
treating a wide range of ills
"When you went
for generations of patients.
to see him as a
Dr. Abraham Barnett
patient, a student
Solomon, 77, of Southfield
or as a friend, he
died Aug. 11 after suffering a
never was pressured
heart attack while seeing
for time. He was
patients in his Lathrup
`family' to all of his
Village office.
patients.
When he was asked when
"He would
he would retire, Dr.
bestow
upon his
Solomon would quip, "I'll
students that there
quit when they carry me out
was much more to
of here."
taking care of your
Noreen Solomon, his wife Dr. A. B. Solomon
patient than how
of 43 years, said he loved his
the patient looked
practice. "We sort of had the
on
paper.
He
taught
every medical
understanding when it stopped
student
that,
and
we've
carried on
being fun it would be time to get
the legacy of Barney Solomon to
out," she said. "The best part of it
every part of this country.
for him was getting up in the morn-
"I don't think I walk into a single
ing and looking forward to going to
patient's room today without that
work.
same spirit that he instilled in me
"He loved his patients — he had
when
I worked with him."
been taking care of some of them
Son
David Solomon said his
for 45 years," she added. "He felt a
father
was
as fiercely dedicated to
dedication, a devotion: 'Who's going
his
family
as
he was to his profes-
to take care of them if I'm not
sion.
"My
dad
was the eternal opti-
there?'"
mist," he said.
According to his wife, Dr.
"My father always taught me
Solomon was unhappy with the
direction that medicine had taken in never to give up," he said. "That's
the way he lived his life, that's the
recent years, with managed care
way
he practiced medicine and that's
interfering with the "art of medi-
the
way
he loved his family."
cine" and the decline of the general
Dr.
Solomon
is survived by his
practitioner in favor of specialists.
wife, Noreen Solomon; daughters
Daughter Mindy Nathan said,
and sons-in-law Mindy and Tom
"He was a big-time advocate of the
Nathan of Bloomfield Hills, Cain
specialty of family practice as the
Solomon and Jerry Glickman of
ultimate holistic medicine. It was
Texas;
sons and daughter-in-law
about paying attention to the family
Marshall
Solomon of Novi, David
medical history and what was going
and
Julie
Solomon of West
on emotionally in the family as well.
Bloomfield;
grandchildren Jennifer
He would treat many generations of
and Jacob Nathan, Dylan
the same family, birth to death.
Glickman, Joshua, Samantha and
, "He helped create the family-
Scott Solomon; and brothers-in-law
practice program at [Southfield's]
and sister-in-law Dr. Mervyn Ross
Providence Hospital," she added.
and Dr. Larry and Joan Genender.
"His favorite thing was to teach the
Interment was at Clover Hill
residents. And he helped develop
Park
Cemetery. Contributions may
some very fine family physicians in
be
made
to Temple Shir Shalom.
this area through that program."
Dr. Solomon was also an assistant Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
clinical professor at Wayne State

DAVID SACHS
StaffWriter

I