Obituaries Obituaries are updated and archived on thejewishnews.com 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 From Generation to Generation 248-543-1622 Outside Michigan: 800-736-5033 26640 Greenfield Rd Oak Park, MI 48237 Please visit our new website: www.hebrewmemorial.org 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 • ritim G t7 -1Cri Hebrew Manorial Chapel 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 If we Come to Hebrew Memorial Chapel, • do we have to use Hebrew Memorial Park Q for the burial? A No, Hebrew Memorial can utilize any cemetery, locally, * nationally or even internationally. . Hebrew Memorial Chapel serves the entire Jewish community by bringing together our rich traditions with customized, sensitive services. Executive Director Rabbi Boruch E. Levin Licensed Funeral Director Robert H. Bodzin • Licensed Funeral Director Mark E. Klinger Hebrew Memorials by Hebrew Memorial Chapel Phone: 248-543-3874 • Fax: 248-543-7421 26640 Greenfield Road • Oak Park, MI 48237 Serving all cemeteries • Expert Consultation • Select Quality Granite Associated with all cemeteries Monuments & Markers • Monument Duplicating Obituaries September 24 • 2009 83