Obituaries

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Man Of Music And Philanthropy

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

E

ntering the Jewish Community
Center in West Bloomfield to
attend a concert or lecture, peo-
ple usually are told: "It's in Handleman
Hall." Arriving at Temple Beth El in
Bloomfield Township for a concert or
social event, guests also are told: "It's in
Handleman Hall."
These gathering places in the Jewish
community exist because of the generos-
ity of David Handleman, a philanthropic
pillar of the Detroit area and a giant in
two nationwide industries during his
95 years. He was an ardent supporter of
many Jewish, civic and charitable causes,
especially in education.
Mr. Handleman, of Bloomfield Hills,
died Dec. 13, 2009, of heart failure. A
memorial service was held Dec. 17 at
Temple Beth El, where Rabbi Daniel
Syme eulogized him as "the benefac-
tor of almost every Jewish and cultural
cause in the community" and said his
death "ends a special era of philanthropy
in Michigan and the Jewish world."
Mr. Handleman's wife of almost seven
years, Charlene Handleman, noted, "If
David became your friend, he was your
friend for life — and he was especially
a true friend of the Jewish community
and educational institutions everywhere.
He never made idle promises; he put his
money where his mouth was."
Robert Aronson, senior development
adviser and former CEO of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, said,
"He gladly underwrote the renovation of the
auditorium and social hall at the JCC, which
cost $1 million-plus; but I had to twist his
arm to let us call it Handleman Hall.

PHYLLIS HONEY BAGLEY, 80, of
Southfield, died Dec. 15, 2009.
She was a market research executive.
Mrs. Bagley is survived by her sons
and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Dorothy
Bagley of Pennsylvania, Michael Bagley
of Detroit, Stuart Bagley of Indiana, Marc
Bagley of Farmington Hills; grandchil-
dren, Stephen, Bethany, Brandon and
Adam Bagley.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Harry Bagley.
Interment at Montefiore Cemetery in
Pennsylvania. Contributions may be made
to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501
St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 attn:

"He was enormously generous in a
show music and the big band sound."
quiet way, very self-effacing; he never
The Troy-based Handleman Co.
sought attention and recognition."
became one of the largest U.S. distribu-
One of Mr. Handleman's closest friends
tors of recorded videotapes and music,
of more than 50 years, attorney Alan E.
plus computer software and books.
Schwartz of Bloomfield Township, who
David Handleman was chairman and
visited him almost every Friday, referred
CEO until 1989.
to his friend as "a great leader and just an
Mr. Handleman had many leadership
extraordinary community person — and roles in the Detroit Jewish commu-
a very caring person:'
nity, including serving as
Schwartz described how
Allied Jewish Campaign
Mr. Handleman's father,
chairman in 1979-80. In
Phillip, peddled shoelaces
2002, he and Mandell L.
and other sundries before
"Bill" Berman and his
starting a distribution com-
wife, Madge, became the
pany for drugs and sundries
campaign Challenge Fund
in 1934. David, who gradu-
donors, creating the first
ated from Wayne (State)
Challenge Fund.
University in Detroit, took
"We provided matching
over the business with his
gifts for that Challenge
brothers, Joe, Paul and Moe,
Fund that brought in
David Handleman
and turned it into a huge
about $1 million a year at
wholesale distributor of pharmaceuticals. that time recalls Berman, of Franklin,
When the area distribution system
another one of Mr. Handleman's longtime
changed, the brothers pondered what
friends. "David also started what became
other business to enter in the 1950s, and known as the `Handleman meeting, a
they heard someone remark, "there's
periodic gathering of past presidents of
just no place to buy music anymore' Joe the Federation to keep us informed of the
had a contact at RCA Victor Co.; and the
latest news in the Jewish community and
brothers took it from there, becoming
latest issues affecting Jews everywhere'
the middle point between music produc-
In 1981, Mr. Handleman and his first
ers and stores.
wife, Marion, who died in 1999 after
"David told me how they first sold
58 years of marriage, created a Jewish
records to Neisner's, Kresge and other
National Fund family forest with 50,000
stores, then went to Kmart, Walmart
trees at American Independence Park in
and the other mass merchandisers:' said
Israel. He also served as president of the
Charlene Handleman. "David would visit United Jewish Charities, predecessor to
all of their chief executives, including
Federation's United Jewish Foundation;
Walmart founder Sam Walton in Arkansas. and, in 1986, he was awarded the Detroit
David had a wonderful sales personality"
Jewish community's highest service
Added daughter Judy Murphy of
honor, the Fred M. Butzel Memorial
Traverse City, "On top of that, my father
Award.
really loved music, especially classical,
Mr. Handleman was a former trustee

of the American Jewish Committee, the
National Jewish Hospital & Research
Center in Denver, Colo., Bloomfield
Hills Cranbrook Academy of Arts and
Sciences, the United Foundation of
Detroit and the Michigan Thanksgiving
Parade Foundation and had leadership
roles with the Detroit Institute of Arts
and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
"He directed a lot of his philanthropy
toward educational institutions because
he always said he believed that an edu-
cated country is a prosperous country:'
related his wife.
He endowed or created scholarships
at Oakland University and the Detroit
Institute of Arts.
"He was very dapper and a real 'people
person," his wife added. "After he died, I
made sure he left the hospital in one of
his 250 suits ... David Handleman wasn't
going to leave in a hospital gown?'
David Handleman is survived by his
wife, Charlene; daughter and son-in-law,
Judy and Dennis Murphy of Traverse
City; son and daughter-in-law, Alan and
Raina Handleman of Hollywood, Calif.,
and Charlene's son and daughter-in-law,
Tim and Amanda Johnson, and their
daughter, Lucia, of Missoula, Mont.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Marion Handleman, the devoted
son of the late Phillip and the late Sarah
Handleman; and the loving brother of
the late Joseph Handleman, the late Paul
Handleman, the late Moe Handleman
and the late Cecelia Wade.
Donations may be made to Temple
Beth El, 7400 Telegraph, Bloomfield
Hills, MI 48301; (248) 851-1100.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Arrangements by the Ira Kaufman
Chapel. I

Memorial Department or to the American
Cancer Society, 20450 Civic Center Drive,
Southfield, MI 48076, www.cancer.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

Harry Balberor, M.D.; the loving mother of
the late Michael Balberor.
Interment at Clover Hill Park Cemetery.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel

REBECCA BALBEROR, 93, of Miami
Beach, Fla., died Dec. 14, 2009.
She was a social worker.
Mrs. Balberor is survived by her daugh-
ters and sons-in-laws, Susan and Michael
Katz of Colorado, Carolyn and Laurence
Huber of Florida, Phyllis and Gordon
McGlothlin of Maryland; grandchildren,
Danny Katz and Maya Strausberg, Michael
and Hilary Huber, Lauren McGlothlin.
She was the beloved wife of the late

SIDNEY J. COHEN, 81, of Ann Arbor, died
Dec. 15, 2009.
Prior to retirement 16 years ago, he
was a manufacturing executive at Ronson
Lighters and Small Appliances.
Mr. Cohen is survived by his wife, Selma
Cohen; sons and daughter-in-law, Robert
and Ruth Cohen of Ann Arbor, Charles
Cohen of Ohio; grandchildren, Anna,
Mari and Sara Rose Cohen; brother and
sister-in-law, Bernard and Mona Cohen of

Florida.
Interment at Arborcrest Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to American
Diabetes Association National Office,
Research Foundation, 1701 North
Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311,
www.diabetes.org; Temple Beth Emeth,
2309 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48104,
www.templebethemeth.org; or American
College of Rheumatology (ACR), Research
and Education Foundation, 2200 Lake
Blvd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30319, www.
rheumatology.org . Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

Obituaries

Obituaries on page 50

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December 24 • 2009

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