Obituaries
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A Sense Of Duty
for his funeral.
Returning to Detroit after the war,
Mr. Ettenheimer resumed his con-
ubrey Ettenheimer learned
struction business, building homes
toughness and self-reliance
and shopping centers, including
growing up in the Great
Wonderland Mall in Livonia.
Depression.
"At the same time, he gave freely
And as an Army officer during
of his time talent and substance
World War 11, his inner strength
to more organizations than I can
proved invaluable during the D-Day
remember any single human being
invasion of France and the liberation
being part of in my entire life," said
of Buchenwald concen-
Rabbi Daniel Syme,
tration camp in Germany.
who spoke at the
Mr. Ettenheimer, 89,
funeral.
of Palm Beach, Fla.,
"Among them were
died on Dec.12, 2006.
Knollwood Country
He was a residential
Club, Standard City
and commercial real
Club, Knights of
estate developer and
Pythias, B'nai B'rith,
past president of Capital
the Masons, Shriners,
Mortgage Corporation,
National Federation of
Globe Insurance Agency
Temple Brotherhoods,
and 27 condominium
Jewish Chautauqua
Aubrey Ettenheimer
associations. His build-
Society, American
ing companies developed more than
Jewish Congress, the Heart Fund,
40,000 homes in Michigan, Florida
the Muscular Dystrophy Association,
and Montreal.
Cranbrook Academy, United Jewish
A Detroit native, Mr. Ettenheimer
Appeal, the International Freedom
earned a degree in civil engineering
Fund and the National Jewish
from Wayne University and, in 1937,
Hospital in Denver.
started a home construction com-
"The problem was that everyone
pany. After the outbreak of World
wanted Aubrey to be their president,"
War II, he was contracted to build a
said Rabbi Syme. "But he agreed
600-home project in Metro Detroit to
to serve only as co-chairman of
aid the war effort.
the American Friends of Hebrew
But out of duty to his country, Mr.
University and as the president of
Ettenheimer, at age 26, enlisted in
both Franklin Hills Country Club and
the Army Corp of Engineers in 1943.
of Temple Beth El during Detroit's
He became a war hero — earning
turbulent years of 1966-1968.
five bronze stars and a purple heart
"With his quick, clever sense of
— and was promoted to the rank of
humor, his aura, his presence, Aubrey
colonel.
drew others to him," said Rabbi
During D-Day, he and other engi-
Syme. "People from all walks of life
neers helped clear the Omaha Beach
admired and respected his honestly,
invasion site of barricades and mines
his intelligence, his flair for the inno-
designed to destroy Allied landing
vative and his insight into people."
craft. He lost nearly half of his men
"Aubrey was a very kind, unique
in the operation.
person — very caring of others," said
Months later, he helped supervise
his wife, Kit.
the liberation of the emaciated sur-
Aubrey Ettenheimer was the
vivors of Buchenwald concentration
beloved husband of Kit Ettenheimer;
camp near Weimar, Germany, where
dear father of Karen (Brent)
tens of thousands of Jews perished.
Sears, Susan (Neil) Gross, Margery
He found it inconceivable that the
(Raymond Wlodosky) Ginsberg,
German populace near the camp did
Nancy (Jeffrey) Ross; devoted grand-
not know its purpose. Even 50 years
father of Emma and Tyler Sears,
later, he said, he still experienced
Jeffrey, David and Bobby Gross,
emotional distress from what he wit-
Daniel Ginsberg-Jaeckle, Matthew
nessed at Buchenwald.
Ginsberg-Jaeckle, Eli and Alex Ross.
Mr. Ettenheimer was a participant
He was the loving brother of the
at the Holocaust Memorial Center in
late Nannette Plotkin.
Farmington Hills, relating his experi-
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
ences at Buchenwald there. Ironically,
Park. Contributions may be made
Otto Dube of Ira Kaufman Chapel, the
to Hospice of Palm Beach County,
son of one of the Jews he liberated
5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach,
at Buchenwald, was the funeral direc-
FL 33407. Arrangements by Ira
tor who handled the arrangements
Kaufman Chapel.
David Sachs
Senior Copy Editor
A
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