Obituaries

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A Retailing And PR Giant

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

F

rederick "Fred" Marx literally
worked his way up to the top of
the Detroit area's public relations
and marketing world.
After spending two decades working
for some of the leading retail firms in the
nation, he started his own retail consult-
ing business in the basement of his home
— with only one client — then joined
with Michael Layne in 1987 to form
Marx Layne & Co., specializing in public
relations and marketing. Moving to four
different locations, the company settled
on Northwestern Highway in Farmington
Hills and is now one of the Detroit area's
largest public relations companies with
25 employees handling about 50 clients.
Marx, 67, a co-founder and co-partner
of the company, died of heart failure at
his Bloomfield Hills home Nov. 1, 2009.
"He was a warm, loving person whose
family always came first:' said Sally Marx,
his wife of 40 years. "If our children need-
ed help moving or whatever, he would put
business aside and devote attention to
them. Our entire family was No. 1 to him.
And he was everyone's best friend in the
community."
The venue chosen for Marx's Nov. 3
funeral was Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township, where he was a longtime mem-
ber. Explained Rabbi Daniel B. Syme: "It's
a Jewish tradition for major figures in the
community to be honored with a syna-
gogue funeral. Fred was a man of enor-
mous dignity, kindness and gentleness,
and he brought all of these qualities to his
family and business."
Layne, who was introduced to Marx
by a mutual friend in the late 1980s,
called Marx "a retail genius." He added:
"At one time or another, he was employed

BRUCE ABRAHAMS, 77, of West
Bloomfield, died Oct. 26, 2009.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Sue Abrahams; sons and daughter-in-
law, Alan and Barb Abrahams of West
Bloomfield, Robert Abrahams of West
Bloomfield, Gary Abrahams of Bellevue,
Wash.; brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth
and Phyllis Abrahams of Farmington
Hills; sister and brother-in-law, Jo-
Lynne and Aaron Rosenstein of West
Bloomfield; grandchildren, Brenden and
Tori Abrahams; many other loving family
members and friends.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery in

by, or did consulting work for, some of
the nation's retail giants. They all valued
his advice and counsel. His clients and
employees were like family to him. He
loved people and was genuinely interested
in them.
"He was a wonderful friend and part-
ner — brilliant, creative and a real busi-
ness leader; he will be missed greatly."

Business Savvy
Marx's business expertise and public
relations savvy could often be found in
the form of quotes in the Detroit Jewish
News and Detroit's daily
and business newspa-
pers. Reporters sought
his comments on some
of the biggest business
stories in the past two
decades and how they
were handled in the news
media. He also wrote
position papers on the
latest trends in mass
merchandising and micro
merchandising.
Fred Marx
A native of Denver,
Colo., Marx moved to
Columbus, Ohio, as a youngster and got a
job at a shoe store on weekends, earning
$1 an hour, plus 1 percent commission.
From there, his love of retailing and mar-
keting led to a career that covered execu-
tive positions at various Ohio firms, fol-
lowed by Jacobson's Stores Inc. in Jackson
(Mich.), Macy's in Atlanta, Ga., then as
senior vice president of marketing at the
J.L. Hudson Co. in Detroit and continuing
as senior vice president of administration
at Hudson's new owner, Dayton Hudson
Department stores.
"But after spending so many years
working for all of these companies, most
of the time in Detroit, he didn't want to

Ferndale. Contributions may be made to
National Jewish Health, to Temple Shir
Shalom or to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

SYBIL ANKERMAN, age 83, of Columbus
(formerly of Detroit) died Oct. 21,2009.
She was preceded in death by her hus-
band, Hy.
Mrs. Ankerman is survived by her son,
Marc (Judy) Ankerman; daughters, Nancy
(Mark) Shapiro and Linda (Richard)
Kuppe; sister, Rosalie (Bruce) Rosen;
grandchildren, Jordan, Kelsey, Cody,
Stacey, Bradley, Amanda and Matthew.

School of Finance at the University of
uproot his young family to relocate to
Pennsylvania and a master's degree in
Minneapolis with Dayton Hudson; we
arts and communications there.
then formed Marx Layne," said Michael
Sheldon Toll of Bloomfield Hills, a
Layne. Their clients now include tele-
retired
partner of the Detroit-based law
communications companies, automotive
firm
Honigman
Miller Schwartz and Cohn,
manufacturers, department stores, res-
praised
Marx
as
a "loving family man, who
taurants, nonprofits and others.
had
great
pride
in
his children's accom-
Arbor Drugs was the new firm's
plishments.
He
was
passionate about his
first client, and Arbor founder Eugene
work
and
was
known
as a retail guru."
Applebaum of Bloomfield Hills recalls
Since
Marx's
death,
Sally Marx said the
Marx as a "superlative gentleman and a
family
has
been
inundated
with personal
real professional public relations man."
visits,
phone
calls
and
e-mails
from cli-
Applebaum, whose 207 stores were mak-
ents
and
friends.
"I
don't
know
what this
ing $1 billion a year when he sold the
city
is
going
to
do
without
Fred
Marx:'
chain to CVS, said Marx
said
Florine
Mark,
a
longtime
friend
and
took him on as a client
president
and
CEO
of
the
WW
Group
Inc.,
when Arbor went public in
Farmington
Hills.
"He
was
the
kindest,
1986. "Fred was instrumen-
smartest, most terrific man."
tal in everything our corn-
Marx is survived by his wife, Sally
pany did and we received
99 percent good press; there Marx; children, Julie Marx of Bloomfield
were no gimmicks or come- Hills, Andrew Marx and Carolyn Marx,
both of Chicago, and Scott Marx, a
ons, just pure PR. With his
student in the University of Michigan
guidance, we were always
candid and honest with the Business School; mother, Florence Marx
Zox of Columbus, Ohio; mother-in-law,
public."
Eleanor Sloman; sisters, Diana Marx
Detroit retailing icon
Bloch of Columbus, Barbara Panzer
Joseph L. Hudson Jr.
of Austin, Texas, Dr. Sherry (Arnold
remembers Marx as "an
incredibly personable gentleman, who got Deutchman) Zox, also of Columbus, and
Laurie (Gary) Watkins of Denver; broth-
along with everyone. He came to us at a
er-in-law and sister-in-law, Steven and
very important time and showed great
Margaret Sloman of New York City.
leadership, and he always cared about
He was the son of the late J. Simpson
people and the community."
Marx; stepson of the late Dr. Maurice Zox;
son-in-law of the late Robert Sloman.
Community And Family
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Marx's affiliations included the American
Donations may be made to Temple Beth
Jewish Committee-Michigan; Detroit
El, 7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills
Regional Chamber of Commerce Board
of Trustees; the Detroit Historical Society 48301, (248) 851-1100, www.tbeonline.
org ; the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation,
Board of Trustees, and the Board of
31313 Northwestern Highway, Suite 209,
Directors of Wayne State University's
Farmington Hills, MI 48334; or a char-
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy
ity of one's choice. Arrangements by Ira
& Health Services, Detroit. He had an
Kaufman Chapel. I I
economics degree from the Wharton

Graveside service was held at
Greenlawn Cemetery with Rabbi Howard
Apothaker officiating. Contributions may
be made to the Alzheimer's Association,
225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago,
IL 60601. Online guestbook is at www.
epsteinmemorial.com .

IRVING APPELBLATT, 89, of West
Bloomfield, died Oct. 29, 2009.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Hilda Appelblatt; son, Steven Appelblatt of
Maitland, Fla.; daughters and sons-in-law,
Carol and German Tovar of Brookline,
Mass., Linda and Richard Barnes of

Obituaries

Brookline; sister and brother-in-law,
Shirley and Saul Meltzer of Del Ray
Beach, Fla.; grandchildren, Monica Lynn
(Jack) McDonnell, Luis Gabriel (Maria
Fernanda) Tovar, Alison (Thomas) Serre,
Samuel Jacob Barnes; great-grandchil-
dren, Daniel and Lia; many loving nieces,
nephews, other family members and
friends.
Interment at the Adat Shalom Memorial
Park in Livonia. Contributions may
be made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

Obituaries on page 70

November 5 2009

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