Obituaries

Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online:

wvvw.detroitjewishnews.com

A Doctor And Friend

States, she began working in the coro-
RONELLE GRIER
nary care unit of a Baltimore hospital.
Special to the Jewish News
They moved to the Detroit area in
1976.
r. Anna Spitz, who died Aug.
"She made friends everywhere she
28, 2002, at age 97, had
went," said her daughter, "in Palestine,
many gifts. Dr. Spitz was a
in medical school and here in Detroit."
skilled physician and spoke
Drs. Anna and Siegfried Spitz were
seven languages.
married for 66 years, until his death in
But it was her gift with people that
1990. They were members of
her family and many
Congregation Shaarey
friends throughout the
Zedek.
world will remember most
Wherever they lived
dearly.
the Spitz family filled
Dr. Spitz, a Bloomfield
their home with
Hills resident, died of con-
extended family mem-
gestive heart failure. She
bers and friends dur-
was born in Latvia as Anna
ing every Jewish holi-
Judith Faktor, and met her
day.
husband, Dr. Siegfried '
"My mother taught
Spitz, after her family
my sister and me the
moved to Germany.
value of learning and
In 1933, sensing the
excelling," said Dr.
growing anti-Semitism and
Werner Spitz. "She
the impending danger, she
was adamant that we
convinced her husband to
should be reading
uproot his medical practice
books at home instead
and move to what was
of playing in the
then Palestine, in the cen-
streets. She taught
Dr.
Anna
Spitz
ter of the city of Tel Aviv.
us the value of
"Without a shadow of a
time; how impor-
doubt, she was the moving force that
tant it is not to waste it."
got our family out of Germany," said
"My mother was the guiding light of
her son, Dr. Werner Spitz, former
the family," said Dr. Karni Frank. "She
Wayne County medical examiner and
was always extremely courageous; she
renowned pathologist. "By then, the
never feared anything. She picked up
anti-Semitism was government-spon-
and did whatever was necessary and
sored, and she sensed it."
she never complained."
It was in Palestine that her "people
She shared a close personal bond
skills" were instrumental as she helped
with each of her seven grandchildren
her husband build a successful practice
and their spouses.
in a new and foreign land. She quickly
"She had an endless capacity to nur-
learned to speak fluent Arabic and
ture others," said her granddaughter-
spent her days mingling in the Arab
in-law, Dr. Elizabeth Hexner.
marketplace, making
Dr. Anna Spitz is survived by her son
friends and gaining the
and daughter-in-law, Dr. Werner and
confidence of the
Anne Spitz of Grosse Pointe Shores;
townspeople. Before
daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Karni
long, patients were
and Dr. Robert Frank of Bloomfield
coming from all over-to U
Hills; grandchildren, Dr. Dale Frank
receive help from the
and Dr. Elizabeth Hexner, Dr. Gitta
"new Jewish physician
Frank and Dr. Paul Mitchell, Stephen
in town."
Frank, Ariel Frank, Rhona and •
"The patients all loved her," said her
Douglas Dempsey, Dr. Jonathan and
daughter, Dr. Karni Frank. "She was
Jlynn Spitz, Dr. Daniel and Jodi Spitz;
hospitable, kind and generous, and she
great-grandchildren, Leah Mitchell,
opened her home to everyone. The first Maiya, Darian, Jared and Reis
question people always asked my father
Dempsey and Keegan Spitz.
was, 'Where's your wife?'"
She was the beloved wife of the late
Dr. Spitz finally fulfilled her lifelong
Dr. Siegfried Spitz.
dream of becoming a physician at the
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
age of 55, when she enrolled in med-
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
ical school in Mainz, Germany, along
to the American Friends of the Hebrew
with her daughter, Karni. Mother and
University, 11 E. 69th St., New York,
daughter graduated together in 1962.
NY 10021.
When the family came to the United

D

❑

Voice Of Southfield

ESTHER ALLWEISS
TSCHIRHART
Special to the Jewish News

"She commanded everyone's
interest."
Judith Doner Berne, retired
managing editor and current 0
ommunity journalist
E columnist, said, "Mrs. Klein
Jacqueline F. Klein of
was a fine journalist. At a time
West Bloomfield died
when Southfield housed so many
Sept. 1, 2002, at age 77.
Jewish residents and institutions,
Mrs. Klein was a native
it was certainly a bonus for the
Detroiter who studied
Eccentric to have
ournalism at the
Jackie as a reporter. -
University of Illinois.
Even after she retired,
Her career in newspa-
she continued to
pers began in the
write columns that
1960s. She wrote for
shed light on the city
the Detroit Times,
she covered for so
Southfield News,
many years."
Southfield Sun and,
Said Sklar, "She had
after creation of the
a real sense of under-
Observer & Eccentric
standing what it
newspaper group, the
means to be a corn-
Southfield Eccentric.
munityjournalist and
Jacqueline Klein
Mrs. Klein also
live and work in the
wrote musicals and
same community she
plays locally, was a board member
wrote about."
of Kadima, a member of the
Mrs. Klein is survived by her
Goodfellows and had featured
daughter and son-in-law, Lisa
guest columns in the Jewish News.
Klein and Douglas Blush; grand-
"She was one of the most com-
children, Dylan and Suzanne
munity-minded journalists I've
Siegal and Madeleine Tina Klein
ever known," said JN Editor
Blush; great-grandchildren,
Robert Sklar. He was Mrs. Klein's
Sydney Tina Rosen and Aidan
0 6 E colleague for 24 years, the
Mae Siegal.
last four when he was Oakland
She was the beloved wife of the
County managing editor and she
late Harold Klein; loving mother
wrote her popular column.
of the late Tina Klein-Siegal and
"Her beat was city government
the late Keith Klein.
and she developed a rabid following
Contributions may be made to
among readers as well as city offi-
Kadima or Gilda's Club.
cials, who were anxious to hear what Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
she said each week," Sklar recalled.
Chapel. ❑

C

MARILYN DROZ, 54, of

Farmington Hills, died Aug. 26,
2002. She was a special education

teacher in Royal
Oak for the past 31
years.
Mrs. Droz is sur-
vived by her hus-
band, Alan Droz;
sister and brother-
in-law, Nancy and
William Vicknair
of Lakeland; moth- Marilyn Droz
er-in-law, Ethel
Droz; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-
law, Howard and Linda Droz,
Sharon and Sandor Katan. Mrs.
Droz was the adoring mother of the
late Matthew Droz; the loving

'daughter of the late Morris and' the
late Karoline Chayet; dear daughter-
in-law of the late Louis Droz.
Interment at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Contributions may
be made to the Matthew and
Marilyn Droz Memorial Fund, c/o
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

STEVEN E. JACOBSON, 50, of
San Francisco, died Aug. 28, 2002.
He is survived by his mother,
Daphne Jacobson; sister, Lissa
Jacobson; grandmother, Esther
Smargon. Mr. Jacobson was the
beloved son of the late Joseph
Jacobson.

trZ

9/ 6
2002

203