Obituaries
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Patron Of Local Arts
W
illiam J. Poplack, 88, a retired
chief executive and American
art collector, died Sept. 18,
2009, of respiratory failure.
A resident of Birmingham, he was born
in Washington State to George and Fanny
Poplack. His family moved to Detroit dur-
ing the Depression, and he began working
at their fruit and vegetable stand. He grad-
uated from Central High School, attained a
doctor of optometry degree from Northern
Illinois School of Optometry and attended
Wayne State University.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force
in 1943 and served as an aviator with
the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322d
Bombardment Group. He was stationed in
London and flew B26 Martin Marauders,
including the famous ground troop sup-
port bomber Flak Bait, currently on
display in the Smithsonian's National Air
and Space Museum. He piloted over 17
combat missions in the European Theater
of Operations before he was shot down
and held captive in a POW hospital in
Apeldoorn, Holland.
Liberated by Allied Forces, he was
awarded a Purple Heart, Distinguished
Unit Citation and other awards and med-
als for his actions.
During officer cadet training prior to
his overseas assignment, he married his
high school sweetheart, Eleanor Edith
Wolf, to whom he was married for 20
years until her death in 1963.
He married the former June Roslyn
Kielson in 1968; they celebrated their
41st wedding anniversary last month. In
1948, he founded Michigan Shortening
Company, predecessor of Unisource Foods
Corporation, which produced shortenings,
vegetable oils, flours, mixes and related
products. He served as its chairman and
chief executive for more than 40 years until
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and Joann Honigman; son-in-law,
Patrick Hallinan; grandchildren, Eric
and Amanda Wasserstrom, Gregory
Wasserstrom, Emily Eleanor Hallinan,
Cullen Noah Hallinan, Sarah Poplack,
Ellison Honigman, Chelsea Singer,
Julie Singer, Jason Singer; niece, Rona
Kosmakis and her daughter, Stephanie
Kosmakis; nephew, Jeffrey Shapiro and
his son, Joshua Shapiro.
Mr. Poplack was predeceased by
Eleanor Poplack and his sister, Paralee
Shapiro.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to the Detroit
Institute of Arts, the Eleanor E. Poplack
Memorial Scholarship Fund, 5200
Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202,
attn: Rosemarie Giffen, www.dia.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
Obituaries on page 84
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its sale to American Home Products and
retained his responsibilities as CEO for a
period of time after the sale.
An avid traveler and adventurer, Mr.
Poplack was a prominent collector of
American art, and a longtime patron
of local arts institutions, serving as a
board member emeritus of the Detroit
Institute of Arts, to which he donated the
Poplack Gallery of Pre-Columbian Art in
1986; he was a trustee of the Founders
Society of the DIA and a benefactor of
the Cranbrook Museum of Art. He also
was a member of the Economic Club, the
Standard Club and B'nai Brith-ADL.
He is survived by his wife, June
Poplack; brother, Richard Poplack
and sister-in-law, Denise Poplack; his
children, Lauren Poplack Hallinan,
Janice Poplack, Robert Poplack, David
Honigman, Kay Honigman-Singer;
daughters-in-law, Deborah Kirklin
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Obituaries
September 24 • 2009
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