Obituaries

Obituaries from page C31

'Renaissance Woman'

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

G

red Frank was truly a "renais-
sance woman" — living up to
the nickname given to her by
one of her caregivers.
Mrs. Frank, 94, who died at her
Southfield home on Nov. 26, 2008, learned
how to use a computer five years ago
— regularly corresponding with her
grandchildren, researching purchases and
surfing the Web.
She also was a professional interviewer
for market research firms for 20 years,
sold newspapers on corners for the
Southfield Goodfellows until recent years,
was the only swimmer at her apartment
complex pool every day until last year
and even pre-planned her funeral with
the Ira Kaufman Chapel, selecting her
own casket and rabbi to give the eulogy.
"She was a remarkable woman; she was
timeless," remarked her son Allen Frank
of East Lansing. "While in her 80s and
90s, she was able to relate easily to her
young grandchildren and great-grand-
children."
Added her son Dennis Frank of West
Bloomfield: "She was amazing; she was
part of the 'here-and-now' generation,

RHO ALDERMAN, 95,
of West Bloomfield, died
Nov. 28, 2008.
She is survived by her
sons and daughter-in-
law, Ronald Alderman
of Troy, Michael and
Jan Alderman of Shelby
Alderman
Twp.; daughter, Sharon
Hirschman of West Bloomfield; grandchil-
dren, Stacey Hirschman, Mark Alderman,
Dr. Brad (Julie) Hirschman, Dr. Robert
(Jennifer) Alderman, Jill Alderman and
Lori Alderman; great-grandchildren,
Conie, Bria, Casey, Connor, Bode, Bryce
and Riley.
Interment at the Beth El Memorial Park
in Livonia. Contributions can be made to
Forgotten Harvest Food Bank, to Gleaners
Community Food Bank or to a charity of
one's choice. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

MICHAEL BASKIN, 88, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 27, 2008.
He was born in Rubleh on Feb. 16,1920,
an Eastern European village near the
border between Russia and Poland. He
was the son of Miriam and Osher Baskin

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December 4 • 2008

always moving with the times. Two
kindness and the way she helped fellow
weeks ago, she attended a Southfield
employees. Officiating at the funeral were
Goodfellows meeting using her walker
Rabbi Norman Roman of Temple Kol Anil
and oxygen tank, planning the fundrais-
in West Bloomfield and Cantorial Soloist
ing campaign for this holiday season. In
Rachel Kalmowitz of Temple Beth El, where
recent years, she counted the money that
Mrs. Frank was a member for 70 years.
was collected."
She also was a member of Hadassah,
Mrs. Frank fled Nazi Germany to come
the National Council of Jewish Women
to America in the late 1930s. She met
and B'nai B'rith and was a regular volun-
her husband, Jack, also a
teer at the Yad Ezra Food
German immigrant, during a
Bank. For several years,
pingpong game in Detroit. He
she was a classroom reader
became a plastics engineer
in the Ferndale School
and partner in the firm of
District Literacy Program.
Schwab and Frank in Detroit.
"She continued to read
"She used the oven in their
until four years ago; she
Detroit home to help test
was always upset when
>02„
plastic materials. The whole
there was no school on
family pitched in in the base- Gretl Frank
Tuesday because that was
ment to rework plastic mold-
the day she would go there
ings for Chrysler products that my father
to read," said Dennis Frank.
was working on," said Dennis Frank. Gretl
In 2002, Mrs. Frank received the
and Jack were married for 44 years until
Michigan Governor's Service Award in
his death in 1983.
Lansing for exemplary volunteer service,
Hired by several companies, Mrs. Frank
which cited all of her volunteer activities.
would set up tables in malls and obtain
The Southfield City Council also gave her
market research information from custom- an award for her volunteerism. That same
ers on various products. In later years, she
year, she was honored with the Jewish
conducted market research by phone.
Apartments Services' annual 8 Over 80
At her funeral Nov. 30, a poem by a co-
Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) Award.
worker was read describing Mrs. Frank's
"Just before the 2002 Winter Olympics

and attended the yeshi-
vah in Stolin to study
to become a rabbi. He
learned to become a tai-
lor from his father and
helped support his fam-
ily by sewing for neigh-
borhood farmers.
When the war broke
out, he was drafted into
the Russian army where
he became close to his
general and was put
in charge of the tailor
Ho
UST shop, making uniforms
SR for thousands of men
in three divisions. His
mother, father and seven brothers and sis-
ters were killed in Rubleh and the ghetto
Stolin, leaving him the only survivor of his
immediate family.
In 1948, he came to the United States,
met his wife, Ruth Hayman, and earned
money working as a tailor to support his
children: Trudy, Susan and Ronald. He
opened his own store, Michael's Custom
Tailor & Clothier in Warren, running it
for over 30 years until he retired at the
age of 79. He lived with his wife, Ruth,

and children for 30 years in Detroit and
Farmington Hills.
A few years after his wife passed away,
he remarried a widow, Regina Gilbert,
with whom he enjoyed 27 years in West
Bloomfield, until she passed away this
past August.
Mr. Baskin is survived by his children,
Ronald Baskin of Farmington Hills, Trudy
and Michael Pianko of E. Brunswick,
N.Y., Susan Baskin of Studio City, Calif.,
Arnold Gilbert, Helen Gilbert and Lori and
Alan Lenef; grandchildren, Rick Pianko,
Lauren Pianko, Andrew Baskin, Jacki
(Jeff) Graham, Dayna Gilbert, Julia Lenef
and Jacob Lenef; many other loving family
members and friends.
He was the beloved husband of the late
Regina Gilbert Baskin and the late Ruth
Baskin.
Interment at the Machpelah Cemetery
in Ferndale. Contributions may be made
to a charity of one's choice. Arrangements
by Dorfman Chapel.

LOUIS "LOU" BROWN, 85, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 28, 2008.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Sylvia Brown; daughters and son-in-law,

in the United States, she was thrilled to
be one of the Olympic Torch bearers in
the torch relay throughout the country:'
recalled Dennis Frank. "She insisted on
participating in Royal Oak despite the
fact she was in a wheelchair after having
broken her hip." Her son Allen nominated
her for the honor.
Mrs. Frank is survived by her sons
and daughters-in-law, Dennis and Peggy
Frank of West Bloomfield and Allen and
Judith Frank of East Lansing; she was
the "Oma" (German for grandmother) of
Jeffrey (Julie) Frank, Julie Frank, Brian
and Shanna Frank, and Danny and Angie
Frank; the great-grandmother of Ryan,
Zachary and Max; and special friend of
Nancy Meyer; her caregivers were Ann
Reynolds and Nicole Reynolds.
Mrs. Frank was the wife of the late Jack
Frank.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
Southfield Goodfellows, P.O. Box 2336,
Southfield, MI 48037, (248) 788-5899,
www.southfieldgoodfellows.org , or
Temple Beth El's Peggy M. and Dennis
N. Frank Social Service Fund, 7400
Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301,
(248) 851-1100. www.tbeonline.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. ❑

Phyllis Brown and Buck Blanchard of West
Bloomfield, Marcie Brown of Normal, Ill.,
Cherie Moore of Farmington Hills; broth-
er-in-law, Iry Bleznick; grandchildren,
Shiloh Blanchard, Shane Blanchard, Mollie
Blanchard-Brown, Sondi Brown, Jessica
Moore and Michael Moore.
Interment at the Hebrew Memorial
Park in Mt. Clemens. Contributions may
be made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

SAMUEL EPSTEIN,
100, of San Diego, Calif.,
died Nov. 25, 2008.
He is survived by
his wife, Edie Wartell
Epstein of San Diego;
daughter and son-in-law
Marsha and Michael
Caplan of Boulder, Colo.;
grandchildren, David
Caplan and Cinda Strauch, Andrew Caplan
and his fiancée, Julie Sheppard; Edie's
family, Kevin and Barbara Wartell, Michael
Wartell and his partner, Mark Doughtery,
MaRit and Ari Wartell; brothers and sis-
ters-in-law, Paul and Anne Epstein, Al
Epstein, Max and Bert Epstein; sisters-