Obituaries

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Judge Remembered

A

public memorial service
for Justin Charles "Chuck"
Ravitz, will take place 2-4 p.m.
Saturday, March 8, in the Community
Arts Auditorium at Wayne State
University.
The attorney and former Detroit
Recorder's Court judge, known for his
commitment to social justice, died sud-
denly of natural causes on Dec. 26, 2007,
while vacationing in Mexico. He was 67. A
small graveside service was held on Dec.
31 in Birmingham, Ala., where his par-
ents, Harry and Dora Ravitz, are buried.
Judge Ravitz was born in Omaha,
Neb. He earned a bachelor's degree from
Babson College, a master's in interna-

CAROLYN RUTH APEL, 64, former
Detroiter of Seattle, Wash., died Feb. 24,
2008.
She authored several books to help
foreign language students learn English
and was president of Health Care for All-
Washington.
Ms. Apel is survived by her mother,
Selma Apel; loving brothers and sister-in-
law, Fred and Beverly Apel and Norman
Apel; nieces, Heidi (Gary) Archuleta,
Marcy (Steven) Rowe, Susan (Robert)
Roberts; nephew, Donald (Lynn) Apel;
grandnieces and grandnephews, Lidia
Archuleta, Shane Archuleta, Aiden
Archuleta, Julia Rowe, Alan Rowe, Jake
Roberts, Dirk Roberts, Caryn Roberts,
Joshua Apel, C. Jeremy Apel, Jillian Apel;
many friends.
She was the daughter of the late Samuel
Jack Apel.
Memorial services were held in Seattle.
Contributions may be made to Health Care
for All-Washington, P.O. Box 30506, Seattle,
WA 98113 or a charity of your choice. This
announcement was placed at the request
of the family by Dorfman Chapel.

MYRON "MIKE"
ARONS, 78, former
Detroiter, died Feb.
18, 2008, at his home
in Carrollton, Ga. An
enthusiastic and loyal
supporter of the Tigers,
Pistons and Red Wings,
Arons
Dr. Arons returned often
to his beloved home-
town to see what was
new and interesting.
Dr. Arons was a professor of psychology
emeritus and founder of the University

tional relations from the University of
Pennsylvania and a law degree from the
University of Michigan.
As a young radical
lawyer, Ravitz and his
then-partner, Ken Cockrel
Sr., railed against the
Detroit establishment to
shut down a lethal decoy
police squad, revamp the
jury selection process and
improve Wayne County
Justin Ravitz
Jail conditions.
Dubbed "America's
first elected Marxist judge he refused to
stand for the Pledge of Allegiance at his
1972 swearing-in ceremony, in part to

of West Georgia humanistic psychology
program. After graduating from Wayne
State University in 1961 with a degree in
psychology, he completed his doctorate
on the subject of creativity research at
the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He then
returned to the United States to work
on post-graduate studies at Brandeis
University under Dr. Abraham Maslow,
who recommended him to West Georgia.
During his 32-year tenure as professor and
chair of psychology at the University of
West Georgia, Dr. Arons was instrumental
in recruiting students from all over the
world.
He was renowned both nationally
and internationally in his field for hav-
ing a bold and unique approach to psy-
chology. Credited with more than 250
scholarly works, Dr. Arons presented
over 100 papers during his career. In
1999, he received the Abraham Maslow
Award from Division 32 of the American
Psychological Association as well as
several other international awards. He
contributed greatly to the discipline of
psychology itself, nurturing a humanistic
perspective through serving in leadership
positions in such organizations as the
Division of Humanistic Psychology of the
American Psychological Association, the
International Human Science Research
Association and the Association for
Qualitative Research in Psychology.
One faculty member noted, "Mike was
huge in the lives of the people he touched,
a brilliant mind, subtle and complex, yet
with a heart that was simple, giant, pure
and open."
Another said, "Mike was a singular
teacher, and it was his inspiration of gen-
erations of students that is his greatest

protest the Vietnam War. While a judge,
Judge Ravitz is survived by his wife,
he was lauded, even by would-be enemies, Berna Ravitz; their son, Anthony Ravitz;
for his legal reasoning and fairness.
Jason Ravitz and Jessica Ravitz, the chil-
Ravitz joined the Southfield
dren from his first marriage to Allyn
law firm of what's now known Ravitz; two granddaughters, Amelia and
as Sommers Schwartz PC in
Zoe Ravitz-Dworkin; and their mother,
1986. While there, he contin-
Melissa Dworkin; his sister, Bunny (Joel)
ued to "do the right thing:' bat- Rotenstreich of Birmingham, Ala.; count-
tling for handicap accessibility less admirers.
on city buses, representing
For a map to the public memorial ser-
wrongly convicted clients
vice 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 8, in the
and seeking justice for sex
Community Arts Auditorium at Wayne
abuse victims. He left the firm
State University or for information about
in early 2007 to start Ravitz
the scholarship established in Judge
Mediation Services LLC and serve of
Ravitz's name, visit www.ravitzmediation.
counsel at Hertz Schram PC in Bloomfield com.
Hills.

❑

accomplishment"
Dr. Arons is survived by his beloved
wife of 45 years, Christianne (Feve) Arons;
daughter, Sandrine Monique Arons; broth-
er and sister-in-law, Roy and Toby Arons;
brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Guy
and Larissa Feve; loving nieces, nephews,
great-nieces and great-nephews; many
Detroit-area relatives.
A memorial service and gathering was
held at the Kathy Cashen Recital Hall
in the Humanities Building on the West
Georgia Campus on Feb. 22, 2008. Rabbi
Barry Coffsky from Atlanta officiated.
Contributions may be made to the Mike
Arons Humanistic Psychology Scholarship
in care of the University of West Georgia
Foundation Inc., Psychology Department,
Carrollton, GA 30118.

wife of 52 years, Estelle Babitch; daughter
and son-in-law, Amy and Barry Roth; his
son and partner, Neil Babitch and Roger
Workman of Los Angeles; son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Dr. Leland Babitch and Cheryl
Carpente; grandchildren, Molly Roth,
Olivia Roth, Bradley Babitch and Dylan
Babitch; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law,
Maurice Kelman, Doris Babitch and Ruth
Miller.
He was the brother of the late David
Babitch and the late Diana Miller; brother-
in-law of the late Adele Babitch and the
late Milton Miller.
Interment at Adat Shalom Memorial
Park Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to the charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

DANIEL BABITCH, 79,
of West Bloomfield died
Feb. 29, 2008. He was
born in Flint.
He graduated from the
University of Michigan
College of Engineering.
He then went into part-
Babitch
nership with his brother
and established Motif
Mfg. Co. in downtown
Detroit and 3-D Manufacturing in Port
Huron, producing fine jewelry for stores
throughout the country.
He was a member of MENSA, a life
master bridge player and a founding
member of Mavins du Vin. After his retire-
ment, he pursued his personal interests,
including volunteering for the Parade
Company, SCORE, and membership in
ALI.
Mr. Babitch is survived by his beloved

HOWARD ROBERT BAYER, 52, of West
Bloomfield, died March 1, 2008. He was a
transportation specialist.
Mr. Bayer is survived by his mother,
Violet Bayer of West Bloomfield; sister and
brother-in-law, Fran and Dr. Sidney Broder
of Birmingham; nephew, Zachary Broder;
other relatives and friends.
He was the beloved son of the late Harry
Bayer.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the
American Heart Association, 3816
Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674,
donate.americanheart org/ecommerce/
aha/aha_index.jsp. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

Obituaries on page C36

March 6 •2008

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