Obituaries

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A Charismatic Buddy

Friend To All
ers. "He was so good with
"Michael had this char-
the younger kids," said
ismatic presence that lit
Heather.
up the classroom," said
Michael had just gradu-
Rabbi Tamara Kolton of
ated this spring from West
the Birmingham Temple
Bloomfield High School.
in Farmington Hills, where
He enjoyed playing on
Michael celebrated his bar
the golf team and taking
mitzvah. "He was joyful;
photography classes. He
he loved life. Other kids
would have been a fresh-
gravitated toward him."
man at Western Michigan
"Michael had an amaz-
Michael Greene
University in Kalamazoo
ing group of friends," said
this fall. He hoped to work
Elaine. "They were always at our house,
with his father someday in the field of
'just chillin', as Michael called it. Once
commercial real estate.
you were Michael's 'bud,' you were
"He was my best friend and golfing
his 'bud' forever. He reached so many
buddy," said David Greene. "We went to
people."
a real estate convention in Las Vegas
Since his death, Michael's friends and
recently, and it was amazing to watch
acquaintances have posted hundreds
him network. We were looking forward
to the next phase of our lives together." of messages on Facebook, a social net-
working Internet site.
Michael was very athletic and
"He loved everyone, and they loved
enjoyed a variety of sports, includ-
him. Especially the girls. He was such a
ing golf, swimming and in-line hockey.
good friend," said Heather.
He helped to organize a new in-line
"When all the other kids would put
hockey team, the Chiefs, at the Jewish
someone down, Michael was the one
Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit. He started playing baseball and who would be his friend," said David.
"He was a really good listener," said
in-line hockey when he was 6 years old
Elaine. "He'd stay up all night talking
and the family lived in Florida.
his friends through problems. He was
"I'd sneak him out of school, and
very mature, very wise."
we'd go watch the Florida Panthers
Michael's mother attributes much of
practice," said his mother. "if he was
going to miss classes, I thought at least his compassionate and caring nature to
growing up with two older sisters. "We
he should learn the right way to play
were very close," said Heather. "It was
hockey. It was our bonding time."

always the three of us."
"He really understood the girls," said
Elaine. "I always said that whoever
married Michael would have the best
husband ever."
Michael had a wonderful sense of
humor, even as a child, according to his
parents. "He was always the one who
made me laugh, even when I wanted to
scream," said Elaine.
"We have to acknowledge the trag-
edy of his death," said Rabbi Kolton,
"but we also need to recognize that his
life was about joy, about loving his fam-
ily and friends.
"Michael would want the people who
loved him to continue to celebrate their
lives, to remember the light of how he
lived, not the tragedy of how he died."
Michael Greene was the loving son of
David and Elaine Greene of Bloomfield
Hills; brother of Heather Greene and All
Greene; grandson of Betty and Leonard
Pollock of Pennsylvania. He will also be
missed by many aunts, uncles, cousins
and a world of friends.
Michael was the dear grandson of the
late Matthew Emanuel Greene and the
late Sylvia Greene Robins.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Ceremony. Contributions may be made
to the Michael Greene Fund of the
Jewish Community Center, 6600 W.
Maple, West Bloomfield, MI, 48322.
Arrangements by the Ira Kaufman
Chapel. 111

TERI BOCK, 50, of West

TOBY SPERLING FISHER, of Southfield,

Bloomfield, died June 18,
2007. She was a make-
up artist and in script
supervision for video
and film.
Mrs. Bock is sur-
vived by her husband,
Bock
Stephen; sons, Jason
Taylor Bock, David
Taylor Bock; daughter, Morgan Taylor
Bock; parents, Robert W. and Jeanette
Taylor; brothers and sister-in-law, Robert
W. Jr. and Jan Taylor, Mark Taylor.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to any breast
cancer charity, the Muscular Dystrophy
Association or a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

died June 22, 2007.
She is survived by her sons and
daughters-in-law, Steven and Heather
Sperling of West Bloomfield, Dr. Mark
B. and Sandra Sperling of Crown Point,
Ind.; daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce
and Dr. Donald Sherman of Southfield,
Lorrie and Jon Isenberg of Beverly Hills;
beloved caregiver, Tamisha Day; grand-
children, Stuart and Eileen Sherman,
Harriet Sherman and Dr. Steven Kohl,
Loren and Heather Sherman, Daniel and
Lisa Sperling, Mindy and Michael Siegel,
Megan Sperling, Meredith Sperling,
Lindsay Sperling, Zachary Sperling,
Geoffrey Sperling, Mallory Isenberg; great-
grandchildren, Joshua Sperling, Jenna
Sperling, Cara Siegel, Abby Siegel, Shane
Sperling, Devin Sperling, Ari Kohl, Molly
Kohl, Joshua Sherman, Ian Sherman,
Alexandra Sherman, Justin Sherman.
Mrs. Fisher was the beloved wife of the

way he lived his life whenever we look for
a quiet hero to emulate.
Dr. Gerber is survived by his beloved
wife, Lyn Gerber; father and stepmother,
Dr. Myron and Toby Gerber of West
Bloomfield; brother-in-law and sister-in-
law, Greg and Linda Todd; nieces, Katy
Johnson and Courtney Todd.
Interment at B'nai Israel Memorial
Gardens. Contributions may be
made to Gleaners Food Bank, to the
American Cancer Society, to the
Arthritis Foundation, to the Alzheimer's
Association or to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

Ronelle Grier
Special to the Jewish News

eteran camper Michael
Greene of Bloomfield Hills
was taking a pre-camp swim-
ming test June 20 along with the
other counselors at Camp Tamakwa in
Algonquin Falls, Ontario, when tragedy
struck.
A strong swimmer, 18-year-old
Michael was finishing his last lap when
he disappeared beneath the water
and did not re-emerge on his own. He
was treated by emergency medical
technicians and taken by helicopter
to a Toronto hospital where numerous
attempts were made to stabilize his
condition.
Michael's parents, Elaine and David
Greene, and several other family mem-
bers traveled to Toronto immediately.
They were at his bedside when he died
the next day, June 21, 2007. Although
Michael never regained consciousness,
"I know that he knew we were there,"
said Elaine. The cause of his death is
still undetermined.
Michael was looking forward to his
10th season at Camp Tamakwa. It
would have been his first summer as a
senior counselor, after working his way
through the ranks of camper, counselor
in training (CIT) and junior counselor.
His older sisters, Heather and Ali,
had also been longtime Tamakwa camp-

late Michael Sperling and the late Herman
Fisher.
Contributions may be made to
Congregation B'nai Moshe, 6800 Drake
Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; JVS,
29699 Southfield, Southfield, MI 48076; or
to a charity of one's choice. Interment at
Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

DR. RICHARD M.
GERBER, 52, of Livonia,

died June 22, 2007.
He was a private-prac-
tice internist in Warren
for 26 years, as well as
the author of two best-
selling books on vibra-
Gerber
tional medicine.
He was devoted to his
family, friends and patients. His gentle
voice, daily prayers and amazing wisdom
influenced many. We should remember the

Obituaries on page 66

June 28 2007

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