■ ■ Obituaries MUM Choose PAUL KOHN S LaDifference Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online: www.detroitjewishnews.com to prepare Shiva Trays & complete meat, chicken, fish or dairy dinners in a time of need. LaDifference 7295 Orchard Lake Road West Bloomfield call 248.932.8934 www.ladifference. corn ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ of Oak Park, died May 20. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Roy Buxton of Oak Park; granddaughter, Hilary Moira Buxton. She was the beloved wife of the late Harry Abrams. Contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice. Services and interment at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. EVELYN ABRAMS, 96, IDA BARR of Silver Spring, Md., died May 28. She is survived by her loving hus- band, Nathan (Narky) Barr; devoted children, Pamela Goldberg (Sanford) Danzig, Steven (Liz) Barr, Bonnie (William) Selley; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lea Tannenbaum, Pearl and Gene Shapiro, Goldie Street, Ethel and Jack Breitbord; grandchildren, Rebecca Goldberg, Jacob Barr, Alissa Danzig, Chris (Nicole) Selley, Joanthan (Amy) Selley; great-grandchildren, Katherine Selley, Alexander Selley. She was the beloved sister of the late Sam Firemark, the late Gus Firemark and the late Yetta Firemark. Contributions may be made to Hillel Day School, Congregation Beth Shalom, Chabad Lubavitch or a charity of one's choice. ERNEST BERK, 78, former Detroiter of Miami Beach,- Fla., died May 26. Keeping Watch Under the Supervision of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis ESTHER ALLWEISS TSCHIRHART Special to the Jewish News WE NOW HAVE SEATING FOR YOUR INDOOR DINING PLEASURE. FULL LINE OF COMPLETE HOMEMADE DINNERS AND MEAT OR FISH TRAYS WE CATER TO MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS 25270 Greenfield • Oak Park (248) 967-1161 MONUMENT CENTER INC. "Same Location 45 Years" (771 i • Monuments and Markers • Bronze Markers • Memorial Duplicating • Cemetery Lettering & Cleaning CEMETERY INSTALLATION ANYWHERE IN MICHIGAN Call • 248-542-8266 661 E. 8 MILE ROAD FERNDALE 1 1/2 blocks East of Woodward American Heart Arrai eig AssociationAr Fighting Heart Disaase and S410103 6/8 2001 124 Gentile family nurtures Jewish cemetery, fir several generations. Medical miracles start with research over, moving her family into the two-bedroom care- taker's house. Sharon got involved in the business in 1964, and became her mother's partner in 1975. Kanuk worked until her death in November 1989. or more than 53 years, members of one Through the years, Mac Lean says she's gentile family have served as been impressed with how Jews come caretakers of a Jewish ceme- back to visit the cemetery. "People come tery in Clinton Township. and bring their lunch and talk to their Sharon Mac Lean, 53, fills the posi- departed ones," she says. tion now, overseeing burials and main- "I think the traditions have more impact tenance of the grounds at the on Jews. Some come out to visit their Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring loved ones faithfully for 12 or 14 years." Cemetery. Until she moved into her In the past, Mac Lean invited a teacher own home in nearby Macomb friend from Lakeview High School in St. Township in May, she lived as several of Clair Shores to bring his European her family members had before her — History class out to the cemetery. Mac in the four-room caretaker's house at Lean talked to the students about Jewish the cemetery. burial customs and traditions and "I grew up there," says Mac Lean, 52. described the emotional impact of meet- "I've never been afraid to be there. And ing Holocaust survivors with numbers I have learned so much about tradition tattooed on their arm. It's nothing like and having a love of life from the peo- Sharon M ac Lean reading about it in a book," she says. ple I've known over the years." oversees bu rims at Any group is welcome to make an Michigan District of the century-old the Wor kmen's appointment to visit the cemetery, Mac Workmen's Circle organization estab- Circle/Arbe ter Ring She once let the photogra- Lean added. lished this cemetery, run separately from Cemet ern phy club at Clintondale High School in the local group, on Gratiot at Masonic Clinton Town.ship take pictures of tomb- Boulevard, in 1919. Many sections bear stones from the back They weren't the names of various congregations and allowed to take pictures of headstone names -- landsmanshaftn (groups of people from the same "That's not respectful," she says. hometowns) who purchased burial space. Bob Daughter Jodie Mac Lean, 23, now lives in the Schwartz of West Bloomfield, chairman of the caretaker's house. She's not involved with running the Workmen's Circle Cemetery Department, says the cemetery, so Sharon will be the last in her family to cemetery, a neighbor of Hebrew Memorial Park, do this job. offers free plots to Workmen's Circle members but is A story is told that when Mac Lean was born, open to all. Albert Orlow, the cemetery's manager, took the bus to Recalling her family's association with Workmen's the cemetery from his home near State Fair Street in Circle Cemetery, Mac Lean says a husband-and-wife Detroit. When he saw Sharon, he expressed disap- team of caretakers stayed only six months before her pointment that the baby wasn't a boy — "who will aunt, Madline Yongue, took over in November 1947. take over the cemetery?" he lamented. The sturdy Yongue continued as caretaker until December 1965 Mac Lean still laughs about it. when Sharon's divorced mom, Delphine Kanuk, took ill ❑