Obituaries
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Beloved 'Mr. Al'
DAVID SACHS
Senior Copy Editor
0
n top of the piano and all over
the tables and walls of his Oak
Park home Alex Saltsman kept
the cherished mementos of his life.
There were plaques and awards from
the numerous Jewish institutions he
supported, such as Young Israel of
Oak Park and Southfield-based .
Orthodox day schools Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah, Yeshivat Akiva and Yeshivas
Darchei Torah. He established a
library in memory of his late wife,
Lillian, at the Machon L'Torah out-
reach center in Oak Park. He was
revered by leaders in the Orthodox
community as "Mr. Al" and by grate-
ful schoolchildren as simply "Zaydie."
'Alex's heart was constantly giving
and trying to perpetuate Judaism in
this city and the world over," said
longtime friend Emanuel Mittelman
of Southfield.
But, there were also other keepsakes:
thousands of pictures of Mr. Saltsman's
other lifelong passion — fishing.
ANNABELLE
BIEDERMAN,
86, of West
Bloomfield, died
July 9, 2005.
She is survived
by her daughter
and son-in-law,
Elaine and Frank
Biederman
Roth of West
Bloomfield; son,
Barry Biederman of Ann Arbor; sis-
ter, Lillian Salinger of Los Altos,
Calif.; grandchildren, Jeffrey Roth
(fiancee Jen Marlin), Eric (Michelle)
Roth, Nicole (Dr. Scott) Glickman;
great-grandchildren, Madelyn,
Benjamin and Ari. She was the
beloved wife of the late Alvin
Biederman.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
Hospice of Michigan, 400 Mack
Ave., Detroit, MI 48201; to the
Jewish Apartments and Services,
6700 W. Maple Rd., West
Bloomfield, MI 48322; or to a chari-
ty of one's choice. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.
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2005
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"On every picture was written down
exactly the date, whom he went fish-
ing with and how many fish he caught
— bass, walleye and perch," remem-
bered Mittelman. "Everything is docu-
mented, and he had albums as thick as
the world. He loved it."
Mittelman had been one of his friend's
fishing partners for three decades. But
they first met at Young Israel.
"Alex was one of the founders of
Young Israel in this town," noted
Mittelman. Mr. Saltsman had been
active in Young Israel for 50 years,
since it was on Dexter in Detroit. He
was one of the founders of Young Israel
of Oak-Woods on Coolidge in Oak
Park and later joined its successor,
Young Israel of Oak Park on 10 Mile.
Mr. Saltsman, 96, a native Detroi-
ter who remained robust until break-
ing his shoulder in a fall just a few
months ago, died on June 28, 2005.
Before that infirmity, he would
attend morning services daily at Young
Israel and then drive to work at the
company he had founded 60 years
before, Factory Steel and Metal Supply
Co. on Oakland Avenue in Detroit. At
the end of the day, he would drive back
to Young Israel for evening services.
MILDRED "MICKEY" BROWN,
79, of Nashville, Tenn., died July 1,
2005.
She is survived by her daughter and
son-in-law, Wendy Spira and Bruce
Dees of Nashville; daughter-in-law,
Nancy Spira Benson of Louisiana;
grandchildren, Lia Spira and Jonas
Spira. She was the loving mother of
the late Shawn Spira.
Interment at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to Gilda's Club Nashville, 1033
18th Avenue South, Nashville, TN
37212. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
VIVIAN CHABEN, 83, of
Southfield, died July 6, 2005.
She is survived
by her beloved hus-
band, Arkie
"Harry" Chaben;
son and daughter-
in-law, Dr. Michael
and Donna Chaben
of West
Bloomfield, grand-
children, Shelley
(Seth) Rosensweig,
Chaben
Six years ago, Mr. Saltsman, the phi-
lanthropist, was inducted into the
Eight Over Eighty Senior Adult. Jewish
Hall of Fame established by Jewish
Apartments and Services.
"My father was active all his life,"
said son Jerry Saltsman of Israel.
"He didn't want to stop giving. He
founded the Alex Saltsman Family
Foundation so it would carry on.
"He loved his children, his 12
grandchildren and his 30 great-grand-
children," said his son. "And they
loved him."
Jamie (Grant) Horwitz. She was the
dear mother of the late Beverly
Chaben Falzarano; sister of the late
Fern Stolman and Evelyn Dubin.
Contributions may be made to the
Karmanos Cancer Institute, 24601
Northwestern Highway, Southfield,
MI 48075 or to a charity of one's
choice. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.
HERBERT S. CHARFOOS, 94, of
West Bloomfield,
died July 6, 2005.
He was a builder,
developer and
owner of Charfoos
and Company. He
was also a member
of Adat Shalom
Synagogue, found-
ing member of
Tam 0' Shanter
Charfoos
Country Club and
a member of St.
-
Andrews Country Club in Florida.
Mr. Charfoos is survived by his wife,
Renata Charfoos; son and daughter-
in-law, Ronald and Lynda Charfoos of
Bloomfield Hills; daughter and son-in-
Mr. Saltsman's loved ones took some
of his many mementos to the hospital
during his final illness. "We told the
doctors and nurses what kind of drive
he had for his family and children and
for fishing and giving charity — he
was like a youngster," said Mittelman.
"There was a fire in his soul.
"He was of the Old School,"added
Mittelman. "Alex and his partner [the
late Jack Carmen] built up the busi-
ness from zero.
"And he was a very gentle, charitable
human being. He had a heart of gold."
Alex Saltsman is survived by his son
and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Elaine
Saltsman of Karney Shomron, Israel;
daughters and sons-in-law, Sara and
Joseph Bricker of Oak Park, Elaine
and Ronald Miller of Southfield; 12
grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Lillian Saltsman; loving brother of
the late Harry Saltsman, the late Bessie
Fingeroot.
Interment was at Workmen's Circle
Cemetery, Stoliner Section. contribu-
tions may be made to Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah, P.O. Box 2044, Southfield,
MI 48037. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.
❑
law, Carol and Dr. Charles "Husky"
Tator of Ontario; grandchildren, Ira
Tator, Michael and Carinne Tator,
Julie Tator, Aaron and Nichole
Charfoos, Amye Charfoos; great-
granddaughter, Isabella Charfoos. He
was the beloved husband of the late
Henrietta Charfoos.
Interment at Adat Shalom Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network or Kadima. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.
IRVING COHEN, 78, of Farmington
Hills, died July 1, 2005.
He is survived by his son and
daughter-in-law, Gerald and Bonnie
Cohen of Oakland, Calif.; daughter,
Marcia Cohen of Atlanta, Ga.; grand-
children, Carolyn and Brian Cohen.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Minnie Cohen.
Interment at the Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
MICHAEL COHEN, 63, of Oak
Park, died July 7, 2005.