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Obituaries

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Builder Of Legacies

Leonard Poger

Copy Editor

A

lex J. Etkin, a prominent
builder for nearly four
decades, left an enduring
local legacy of synagogues, shop-
ping malls and hotels.
But Mt Etkin will also be
remembered as a trailblazer —
creating opportunities for
minorities and females in the
predominantly white-male con-
struction industry years before
his peers, hiring the state's first
African American construction
superintendent and placing
women in key company posi-
tions.
"He always judged people on
ability:' said son Douglas Etkin of
Bloomfield Hills.
Mr. Etkin, 87, of Longboat Key,
Fla., formerly of Huntington
Woods and Orchard Lake, died
Nov. 22, 2005, in Sarasota, Fla.,
succumbing to Alzheimer's dis-
ease after 10 years.
Born and raised in Detroit of
parents who emigrated from the
Ukraine, he graduated from Cass
Technical High School and the

ANN ABUGOW, 94, of Oak
Park, died Nov. 22, 2005.
She is sur-
vived by her
daughters and
son-in-law,
Bernice Rouff
of Oak Park,
Sandy and Ken
Rasmussen of
Southfield;
Abugow
grandchildren,
Jeffrey (Janet)
Rouff, Ron Rouff, Robin
(Michael) Rosen, Dr. Miles
(Debbie) Singer, Raquelle
Singer, Michelle Singer, Janice
Abugow, Howard (Dana) •
Abugow and. Michael Abugow;
great-grandchildren, Joel,
Lauren, Megan, Jessica,
Stephanie, Max, Bradley, Danny
and Cody; sister-in-law, Frieda
Hantler. She was the beloved
wife of the late Jack Abugow;

116

Detroit Institute of Technology.
He was the founder and long-
term chairman of A.J. Etkin
Construction Co., for many years
one of the region's largest con-
tractors. Among his projects were
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township, Temple Israel and
Temple Shir Shalom in West
Bloomfield, Northland Mall in
Swthfield, Livonia Mall, Oakland
Mall in Troy and Lafayette Towers
apartments and the St. Regis and
Pontchartrain hotels in Detroit.
Mr. Etkin was a pastpresident
of the Detroit Associated General
Contractors and served on its
national board. He was also an
international board member of
Technion-Israel Institute of
Technology.
During World War II, Mr. Etkin
had to drop out of Officers
Candidate School because of ill-
ness and was discharged for
medical reasons. But he quickly
re-enlisted, joining the Army
Corps of Engineers. He was
wounded on D-Day, 1944, serving
in a unit supporting invading
troops at Normandy Beach.
Douglas Etkin described his

father as a "quiet
guy, a shy guy who
loved to smoke
cigars and play golf."
"He was a loving
husband, father and
grandfather:' said
daughter Barbra
Alter of Bloomfield
Hills. "He was a
warm, kind person;
very generous and
hugely respected in
this community.
"With us he was
always a teddy bear;
but in business he
was a strong,
assuming man —
independent and
Alex J. Etkin
self-made. He didn't
say a lot, but when
Alex Etkin spoke, you listened —
whether you agreed with him or
not.
"He was a genuine guy, the real
deal. There was nothing fake
about him!'
Mr. Etkin was a charter mem-
ber of Temple Israel and an active
supporter of the Technion-Israel
Institute of Technology, which

mother of the late Alvin
Abugow.
Interment at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may
be made to a charity of one's
choice. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.

late Dr. Benjamin Barenholtz,
the late Evelyn B. Cobb, the late
Anne B. Zolin.
Interment at the Adat Shalom
Memorial Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
the American Cancer Society,
18505 W. 12 Mile Rd.,
Southfield, MI 48076; the
National Kidney Foundation,
2350 S. Huron Parkway, Ann
Arbor, MI 48104; or to a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements
by Dorfman Chapel.

SEYMOUR BARENHOLTZ, 82,
of West Bloomfield, died Nov.
24, 2005.
He is survived by his beloved
wife, Clara Barenholtz; son and
daughter-in-law, RiChard
Barenholtz and Sharona Javit of
Mundelein, Ill.; daughter and
son-in-law, Robin and Jeffrey
Bejin of Bloomfield Hills;
brother and sister-in-law,
Joseph and Shirley Barenholtz
of West Bloomfield; sister, Arda
Barenholtz of Huntington
Woods; grandchildren, Sarah,
Jessica, John and Mark Bejin.
He was the dear brother of the

MORRIS BARGMAN, 83, of
Huntington Woods, died Nov.
23, 2005.
He is survived by his wife,
Pearl Bargman; son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Ronald and Ann
Bargman of Birmingham;
daughters and sons-in-law,
Deberah and Richard Sherman
of Livonia, Sharon and Larry

awarded him an honorary doc-
torate degree.
"My father believed the key to
Israel's survival was to maintain
technical superiority over its
neighbors and to become self-
sufficient," Douglas said.
His father's favorite project was
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township, designed by world-

renowned architect Minoru
Yamasaki. Mr. Etkin was
intrigued with its complex deign
— built without columns. Before
work started on the temple, he
and Yamasaki, who became a
friend, traveled to Japan to view
another column-free house of
worship the architect had
designed.
Other structures built by Mr.
Etkin were the former Northwest
Airlines terminal at Detroit
Metropolitan Airport, numerous
Nike anti-aircraft missile bases
throughout Michigan as well as
scores of buildings in Oakland
County.
Alex J. Etkin is survived by his
wife of 56 years, Toby Langer
Etkin; children, Bruce Etkin of
Aspen, Colo.,Douglas and Judith
Etkin of Bloomfield Hills, and
Barbra and Peter Alter of -
Bloomfield Hills; nine grandchil-
dren; sisters, Zena Baum of
Bloomfield Hills and Esther
Russell of Terre Haute, Ind.;
brother-in-law and sister-in-law,
Marvin and Judy Langer.
Interment was at Beth El
Memorial Park. Contributions
may be made to a charity of one's
choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel. El

Gill of Munster, Ind.; brother,
Kalman Bargman of
Cambridge, N.H.; sister, Tanya
Roth; grandchildren, Sarah,
Keith, Marsha, Rachel,
Benjamin, Christopher.
Contributions may be made
to a charity of one's choice.
Interment at Workmen's Circle-
B'nsai Jacob Cemetery.
Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

children, Jacob Saltsman, Chaya
Bigelman, Rochelle Bigelman,
Rivka. Bigelman, Sara Bigelman
and Toiba Bigelman She was the
beloved wife of the late
Benedict Rabinovitch.
Interment at Hebrew
Memorial Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

MARIA BARON, 92, of -
Southfield, died Nov. 26, 2005.
She was a college professor for
many years.
Mrs. Baron is survived by
daughter and son-in-law, Esther
Rabinovitch and Yuriy
Zaltsman -of West Bloomfield;
grandchildren, Ben Saltsman
and Galina Livit, Anna
Zaltsman and Rami Bigelman,
Fima Zaltsman; great-grand-

MAX BERLIN, 90, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 24, 2005.
He is survived by his beloved
wife, Sara Berlin; son, Dr. David
Berlin of West Bloomfield;
daughter and son-in-law,
Shelley and Dr. Raymond
Weitzman of West Bloomfield;
brother and sister-in-law, Louis
and Evelyn Berlin of Novi; sis-
ter and brother-in-law, Annie
and Sam Solomon of Los

December 1 . 2005