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The Leader Of The Band

SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to the Jewish News

id

ack Pitt has left his
family with many
happy memories of his
music career, but
there's one recollection that remains
at the top of his son Darryl's list. It
has to do with Don Was, a former
Oak Parker who started the rock
group Was (Not Was) and has
become a leading record producer.
Darryl Pitt, familiar with his dad's
sax playing with Artie Shaw and
other stellar band leaders from the
1940s, had been a big fan of Was
(Not Was) and went to hear the
_combo at a New York Club. After
the show, Darryl met Was, who rec-
ognized the family name and
recalled that Mack Pitt had played at
his own bar mitzvah and on his first
recording.
"My dad had never told me, and I
was very impressed," the younger
Pitt says. "I called him right away to
talk about that."
Mack Pitt, of Southfield, was 81
when he died March 4 from compli-
cations associated with Alzheimer's
Disease. Besides touring with the
top swing bandleaders, from Benny
Goodman to Glenn Miller, he '-
worked with the Detroit Symphony

JACK J. BODZIN, 77, of Oak

Park, died March 3. He was a
founding member of Congregation
Beth Shalom and well as its first
elected president.
He is survived by his beloved
wife, Mary Bodzin; son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Robert and Linda
Bodzin of Farmington Hills;
daughters and son-in-law, Barbara
Bodzin, Kayla and Robert Vodney;
stepsons, Marc (Maureen)
Shreeman, Eric Shreeman, Michael
Shreeman; stepdaughter Diane
(Bruce) Gale; sisters and brothers-
in-law, Rose Blitz, Marian and
Milton Duchan, Ruth and Irving
Pachtman, Yetta and Leon Amster,
Esther Seligson; grandchildren,
Jennifer and David Bodzin, Alison
Vodney, Aaron and Jason
Wertheimer, Sam and Joe
Shreeman. He was the beloved hus-

3/15
2002

122

cian. He was a mentsch."
Orchestra, Motown artists and his
After the war and after playing
own Mack Pitt Orchestra. This was
with touring swing orchestras, Mr.
all in addition to teaching music in
Pitt met his wife, then Dorothy
the Detroit Public Schools.
Rosen, dur-
"My dad was accom-
ing a visit
plished, bright and funny
with family
and got along,with people
in Detroit.
of all ages and walks of
He decided
life," Darryl Pitt says. "Not
to settle
many people know that he
down
in
worked with Diana Ross,
Michigan,
Smokey Robinson and
married in
Harry Connick Jr."
1951,
Mr. Pitt, born in Detroit
earned a
and raised in New Jersey,
high school
learned the mandolin,
equivalency
moved on to alto sax and
degree and
quit school at 16 to move to
attended
New York to find work. He
Wayne
soon was hired for the
State
Radio City Music Hall pit
University
orchestra and then began
Mack Pitt
on the G.I.
appearing with the top
Bill. With
bands.
bachelor's and master's degrees in
During World War II, he toured
education, he began teaching music
with Shaw's All-American All Star
during the day while performing at
Band to entertain troops on battle-
local clubs and parties in the
ships, aircraft carriers and military
evening. His 31-year career in the
bases in the South Pacific.
Detroit Public Schools also included
"Back then, music was secondary,"
serving as a guidance counselor and
Shaw, in his 90s, recently remi-
as assistant principal at Osborn
nisced. "Survival was primary, and I
High.
have fond memories of surviving
His Mack Pitt Orchestra played at
with Mack. He was more than a
many Jewish events, from weddings
musician and he was a great musi-

band of the Kate Alice Bodzin.
Contributions may be made to
Congregation Beth Shalom or the
Michigan Technical University
Alumni. Interment at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

ELSIE BOGORAD, 88, of West

Bloomfield, died March 6. For the
past 18 years she was a resident of
the Hechtman
Apartments in
West Bloomfield.
She sang in'the
choir, was chair of
the sunshine com-
mittee, wrote arti-
cles for their mag-
azine and volun-
teered to help at
many events.
Elsie Bogorad
Every Friday

night, she lit the Shabbat candles
for the retirement community.
Mrs. Bogorad is survived by her
sons, Martin "Marty" Bogorad of
West Bloomfield, Herbie Bogorad
of West Bloomfield; daughter and
son-in-law, Ethel and Philip
Gersten of Walled Lake; grandchil-
dren, Michael, Cindy, David, Lori
and Adrienrie Gersten, Cortney,
Audrey, Geoffrey and Rosanna
Bogorad, Susan and Jay Miller, Jill
and Brent Levine, Robin and
Robert Cartagena; great-grandchil-
dren, Dana, Jordan, Carly, Rebecca,
Elyse, Jenna, Rachel, Daniella,•
Joseph. She was the beloved wife of
the late Isadore "Jack" Bogorad;
mother of the late Annette
Bensman; sister of the late Mollie
Engleberg and the late Jack Kunick.
Interment at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made

and b'nai mitzvah to the annual
Balfour Concerts (fund-raising
events arranged by the Zionist
Organization of America Michigan
Region).
"Mack and his wife have been
strong supporters of the ZOA,"
says Maya Veprinsky, its director.
"They attended meetings, and last
year, when he was not able to per-
form at our Balfour Concert, he
still came to the hall to check the
acoustics."
Mr. Pitt, a member of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, has
composed music for the Jewish
Ensemble Theatre (JET). In 1997,
he worked on the JET production
The World of Sholem Aleichem, play
ing the clarinet in front of the audi-
ence and behind the scenes.
Mack Pitt is survived-by his wife,
Dorothy; sons and daughter-in-law
Darryl of New York City and Dr.
Steven and Susie of Scottsdale, Ariz.;
two grandsons; and sister, Mildred -
Goldman of Boca Raton, Fla.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to the Alzheimer's Disease &
Related Disorders Association,
. 17220 W. 12 Mile, Suite 100,
Southfield, MI 48075, or to a chari-
ty of one's choice. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel. ❑

to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by the Dorfman
Chapel.

LILLIAN RUTH BROSTOFF, 85,

of Southfield, died March 5. She
was a teacher.
She is survived by her husband,
Bertram Brostoff; daughter and
son-in-law, Marsha and Ted Palmer
of Wixom; grandchildren, Ryan and
Erik Grubbs and John Palmer.
Interment at B'nai David
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to the Alzheimer's
Association. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

.

FREDERICK COLMAN, 52, of

Bingham Farms, died March 5. He
was an artist and painter.
He is survived by his mother,
Beverly Colman of Bingham Farms;