Maze' Toy!
The Century Mark
Ruth Redstone, family and friends celebrate
her active life.
Leonard Poger
Copy Editor
R
uth Redstone watched her
architect husband, Louis,
design many of the Detroit
region's architectural landmarks.
Celebrating her 100th birthday recently,
she displayed the energies and talents
that showed how she created her own
legacy of personal and professional
achievements.
While raising twos sons and taking syn-
chronized swimming lessons, she found
the time and energy to serve as president
of numerous Jewish organizations.
Another dimension of her varied
life was being the co-author with her
husband, who died several years ago, of
Public Art - New Directions.
Mrs. Redstone, who reached the centu-
ry mark March 20, celebrated her birth-
day the previous day with a party at the
Heritage of Southfield seniors' residence
complex. She was surrounded by family
and friends.
"I've been blessed',' she commented
about her milestone birthday, but jok-
ingly admitted that "I don't know how I
got here referring to her longevity.
"It may have been the chicken soup
from what I hear',' a reference to her
family reputation of being kitchen-chal-
lenged.
For a recent visitor, Mrs. Redstone
insisted on playing several piano selec-
tions — from memory.
What also helps Mrs. Redstone to stay
sharp is her exercise routine of swim-
ming, yoga and tai chai.
A son, Eliel, who followed his father's
career path, said Mrs. Redstone was "not
your typical mother by any stretch of the
imagination:' It wasn't so much that she
wasn't a stay-at-home mom, but she had
so many interests and activities.
When he was a teen, Eliel said, his
mother would not just drop off him son
at the JCC for swimming or other sports.
She would join a synchronized swim
class. Years later, at age 69, her team
captured a national championship in
Amateur Athletic Union competition.
Mrs. Redstone brought her own type
of intensity to new activities and inter-
ests — such as cooking.
With most of the family's meals pre-
pared by a cook, the Redstones dined
at restaurants on the cook's day off. But
eventually, Mrs. Redstone decided to gain
kitchen skills. Starting with desserts, it
took several months before she perfected
her sponge cakes.
A niece, Miriam Redstone, lov-
ingly recalled that cooking was not Mrs.
Redstone's first choice of activities; but
Feb. 21
Bylinowski.
Steve and Karyn (Moss)
Bylinowski are excited to
announce the birth of their
daughter, Brooke Ashley.
Brooke was welcomed home by
her enthusiastic big brother Jake,
3. Proud grandparents are Linda
and Ken Lenchner of Bloomfield
Hills, Norman Moss and Cathy
Andrews of Orlando, Jackie and
Bernie Earli of Chicago and
Ray and Kathy Bylinowski of
Indianapolis, Ind. Excited great
grandparents are Kay Hibel
and Stanley Bylinowski, both
of Chicago. Brooke was named
in loving memory of maternal
great-grandma Ida Moss and
paternal great-grandma Angeline
Dec. 6
Jessica Cohen-Lubek and Joshua
Lubek of West Bloomfield
announce with love the birth
of their daughter, Samantha
Faith (Shoshanah Faigel). Very
proud grandparents are Melanie
Bishop-Solomon and Arthur
Solomon of Orchard. Lake, Brian
and Fran Cohen of Novi and
Marvyn and Baila Lubek of
Toronto, Ont. Also sharing in
their joy are great-grandpar-
ents Mill)/ and Nat Hocherman,
Elaine Cohen and Tzipporah
Weis. Samantha is also the great-
granddaughter of the late Robert
Bishop, the late Harry Weis and
when she decided
she wanted to
learn to cook she
became com-
pletely focused.
As a young
adult, Mrs.
Redstone refused
to follow the soci-
etal expectations
for young women
in the mid-1920s.
The class vale-
dictorian at her
upstate New York
Ruth Redstone at her birthday celebration
high school, she
continued her .
education at St.
just come to meetings but jumped into
Lawrence University, earning Phi Beta
leadership roles. She was president of
Kappa honors before becoming a social
the Women's Division of the American
worker early in the Great Depression.
Jewish Congress, the League of Jewish
She married her husband in 1939
Women's Organizations of Metropolitan
and raised two sons, Daniel, who heads
Detroit and the Detroit Women's Round
the Southfield-based architectural firm
Table of Christians and Jews. She also
started by his father, and Eliel, who has
served on the boards of many other
his own architectural practice in the San
Jewish and secular organizations.
Francisco area.
At her birthday celebration last month,
In the early years of her career, Mrs.
son Daniel said his mother "has shown
Redstone was a family caseworker for
me that the important things about life
the Detroit Jewish Family and Children's
are not what we get but what we give
Service and later a supervisor for the City back ... She has been the important role
of Detroit's Public Welfare Department.
model in my life."
In the Jewish community, she didn't
the late Joseph and Mary Lubek.
Samantha is named in loving
memory of her paternal great-
great-aunt Harriet (Sara) Radam
and maternal great-great-grand-
mother Frances Boxman.
Dec. 1
Jennifer (Pavlov) and Larry
Thurswell of Birmingham
are thrilled
to announce
the birth of
their son,
Luke Greyson
(Gavriel
Yechezkel).
Sharing in the
Thurswell
excitement are
proud grandparents Lynn and
Harvey Rubin of West Bloomfield
and Gerald and Sarah Thurswell
of Bloomfield Hills. He also is the
grandson of the late Alexander
Pavlov. Luke is named in loving
memory of his grandmother
Galina Pavlov.
Nov. 8
Keri (Stahl) and David Young
of New York are thrilled to
announce the birth of their twin
son and daughter, Evan Hayden
and Remi Brooke. Sharing in
their joy are proud grandpar-
eats Susan and Jeffrey Young of
Farmington Hills and Nina and
Martin Stahl of New York. Happy
great-grandparents are Blanche
and Ben Klar of Southfield and
Marsha and
Martin Sherman
= s of Monroe
Tow nship. N.J.
Evan is named
in loving mem-
ory of his pater-
Remi Young
nal great-grand-
parents Emma
and Harry
Young. Remi is
named in boy-
Mg memory of
maternal great-
• 1 grandmother
Evan Young
Rose Stahl,
great-great-
grandmother
Bella Sherman and great-great-
aunt Bea Stern.
April 6 2006
75