arrior
Of The
Remembering Mr. Murray Human Spirit.
Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjevvishnews.com
DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer
H
is name was Irving Pitt, but nearly
everyone knew him as Mr. Murray
— from his suppliers at Murray's
Discount Auto Stores, to the cus-
tomers he served with unfailing patience, to his
friends and family.
And whenever people called him "Mr. Murray,
it was with affection and respect.
Mr. Pitt, 88, of Farmington Hills, died Nov. 2
after a long illness.
The founder of Murray's Ace Hardware in
Redford and co-founder, with his late brother
Albert, of Murray's Discount Auto, he was also a
generous contributor to
many charities and organ-
izations. Most recently, he
and his wife, Sarah, were
major benefactors of the
new preschool at the
Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan
Detroit, which was
named the Sarah and
Irving Pitt Child
Development Center in
their honor.
"Their contribution has
meant a whole new won-
derful experience for all
the kids who attend
here," said Fredelle
Schneider, the center's
director. "We were glad
the facility was complet-
ed, with his name on it,
while he could still have
the enjoyment of know-
ing we were using it."
Irving Pitt
Murray Pitt of
Bloomfield Hills said his
father never turned down
a request for charity. "No matter how small,
whenever someone asked for help, he gave."
Other organizations that continue to benefit
from the Pitts' generosity include Kadima, Yad
Ezra, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus
Life, the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, ambulances
for the State of Israel and City of Hope.
It was through City of Hope that Mr. Pitt met
his close friend, Nathan Light of West
Bloomfield.
"He was an unbelievable human being," Light
said. "He worked hard, he and his wife, for years
and years. In all the years I knew him — 30 years
— he's the only man I ever knew who never used
a word of profanity."
The two men became close after Mr. Pitt lent
Mr. Light money to keep his business afloat.
Every week, Light dropped in at the Pitts' home
to pay a portion of his debt until it was all paid
up.
"One day, he calls me: 'When you owed us
money, we'd see you all the time. Now we never
see you," Light said. "From then on, he'd go on
vacation, he'd call me; when I'd go, I'd call him."
Mr. Pitt was not always able to lend money to
others. "From 1935 to the 1970s, it was a matter
of putting food on the table," said Rabbi Harold
Loss of Temple Israel at Mr. Pitt's funeral. - "He
worked hard all his life. He never complained —
he actually loved it."
Born in Lodz, Poland, Mr. Pitt was brought to
the United States as a
child. He wanted to be a
pharmacist, but lack of
money stopped him from
achieving this goal.
Instead, he tried many
business ventures — from
selling "dollar" insurance
policies to operating a fish
market from a truck.
"One of the prime rea-
sons for his success was
his brother Albert. He
helped him out when he
needed money," said
Murray Pitt. "Family was
very important to him.
He was a loving husband
for 66 years. He and my
mother worked together
maybe 40 Of those years
— the only thing on their
agenda was each other."
Mr. Pitt is survived by
his wife, Sarah; sons and
daughters-in-law, Murray
and Ina Pitt of
Bloomfield Hills;
Leonard Pitt of California, Barry and Jane Pitt of
Birmingham, grandchildren Erin Richards, Jeffrey
Pitt, Stephen Pitt, Jesse Pitt and Joanna Pitt;
great-grandson, Asher Pitt Richards; sister, Ruth
Lichterman of Farmington Hills and sister-in-law
and brother-in-law, Ada Bohn and Arthur
Doctor. He was devoted grandfather of the late
Gregory Richards; loving brother of the late
Albert Pitt; dear brother-in-law of the late Gerald
Lichterman, the late Doris Pitt and the late
Herman Bohn.
Interment at Beth El MemorW Park.
Contributions may be made to Yad Ezra, 26641
Harding, Oak Park, MI 48237.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. ❑
T
he high--tech happy warrior's memo-
ries live on for the family of the man
they loved and affectionately called
their "Beepa."
Eugene l(raft of Bloomfield fiills, chairman of
the Romulus-based Serra-Restokra.ft Mattress
Co., died of heart failure at 83 on Nov. 1 at his
winter home in Boca Raton, Fla. He had been
on kidney dialysis for many years and suffered
from diabetes.
Mr. fKraft was an astute businessman and
inventor who loved fast cars and a.lways ended
phone conversations with his gancichildren by
saying: "Never stop loving me."
He was a man whose time studies helped
make an A.rmy munitions plant run more effi-
ciently during World War 11, who came up with
the idea of putting1w4es on the sides of mat-
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JN
11 /9
2001
143