Obituaries
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Bravery And
Determination
RONELLE GRIER
Special to the Jewish News
Our hear t felt
condolences
to the families
we have served.
We serve the entire
Jewish communi
by bringing together
our rich traditions
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sensitive services.
Associated with all cemeteries.
ILENE BATCKO
Rabbi: Daniel Syme of Temple Beth El
Nusach Hari Cemetery
ETHEL REISMAN
Hebrew Memorial Park
JEAN SEID
Rabbi: Darnel Schwartz
of Temple Shir Shalom
Hebrew Memorial Park
SYBIL PAULINE BODZIN
Rabbi: Emlimelech Goldberg
Nusach Hari Cemetery
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ISADORE I. ELIAS
26640 Greenfield Road
Oak Park, Michigan 48237
Rabbi: Daniel Nevins
of Adat Shalom Synagogue
Adat Shalom Memorial Park
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Rabbi Boruch E. Levin
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Executive Director, H.B.S.
Robert H. Bodzin
Funeral Director
nett "Lz; ran
Asher T. Tatelbaum
Funeral Coordinator
4/18
2003
114
threw
ernorial
Chapel
From Generation to Generation
Mark E. Klinger
Funeral Director
III
atthew David
Colman was born
on the 4th of July
— and for many
years, he thought the annual
fireworks were all in honor of
his birthday.
On April 4,
2003, Matt's
fireworks were
extinguished
at age 27. He
died of com-
plications
from cystic
fibrosis at the
University of
Southern
California
Hospital in
Los Angeles in
the loving
arms of his
mother, Lynn
Levi, and sur-
rounded by
family mem-
bers, devoted
friends and
caregivers.
Matt's strug- Matt Colman
gle began soon
after birth,
when he was first diagnosed
with the potentially fatal lung
disease. His life was relatively
symptom-free until he graduat-
ed from West Bloomfield High
School and entered the
University of Michigan in Ann
Arbor. It was then that his ill-
ness began to affect his ability
to function. But Matt was
determined not to let it change
his life.
"He always went to class no
matter what," said his sister
Alyssa Kay of Farmington Hills.
"Some days he was so sick and
feverish, he would have to stop
several times on his way to
class, choking and gagging, but
he got there regardless. He just
wanted to be treated like every-
one else."
Matthew studied film and
video production in college and
spent a summer as an intern for
the Judge Judy and Judge Joe
Brown courtroom television
shows in Los Angeles. Despite
his medical impediments, Matt
was so successful and well-liked
that he was
offered a
permanent
position as
production
assistant
administra-
tor, which
he gladly
accepted,
even
though it
meant leav-
ing his
family and
moving to
California.
"He was
a very cre-
ative, very
exceptional
young
man," said
Matt's
father, Dr.
Richard
Colman of Bloomfield Hills.
"He had a long, hard struggle,
but he never complained. He
was fearless. He loved his job
and his job loved him back."
After more than a year of
waiting for a double-lung trans-
plant, Matt was suddenly
informed that a donor was
available. With only 30 minutes
to make the decision, Matt
called his mother, told her he
had decided to "go for it" and
drove himself to the hospital.
His family arrived on the next
plane.
Unfortunately, Matt devel-
oped complications after the
MATTHEW COLMAN on page 115