aaries

Obituaries from page 57

A Famed, But Humble Builder

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

T

he Ramblewood and Hunter's
Ridge residential complexes in
Farmington Hills. The old Talley
Hall Shopping Mall, also in Farmington
Hills. Congregate housing communi-
ties for elderly residents in Ann Arbor,
Sterling Heights and Riverview.
Melvin Rosenhaus built them all —
plus thousands of other living units in
the Detroit area over the past 60 years.
And despite his great success in the
building business, he was a humble man,
who left a lasting impression on everyone
— and had friends in all walks of life.
Mr. Rosenhaus, 85, of Birmingham,
died of congestive heart failure, Jan. 2,
2011. He was the founder and owner of
Mel Construction and Uniland Corp. of
Bingham Farms.
"He was an avid sportsman and he
was looking forward to 'healing up' in
the hospital and traveling to Florida to
go fishing:' said son Rex Rosenhaus of
Bloomfield Hills, who is president of
Uniland. "That was his nature, always
setting a goal and never giving up.
"He was a real 'people person; very
friendly and considerate, who always
was interested in everyone and listened
to what others had to say."
After graduating from Detroit's

PHILIP BOLTON, 93,
of West Bloomfield, died
Dec. 30, 2010.
He is survived by
his wife, Paula Marks
Bolton; sons and
daughters-in-law, Tuvia
and Rachel Bolton,
Bolton
Bruce and Vince Bolton;
daughter, Sherry Shanahan; stepdaugh-
ters, Shelley Marks, Noreen Dayton;
sister, Sylvia Zukin; seven loving grand-
children; numerous great-grandchildren;
nephew, Bob Bolton; many loving nieces
and nephews.
Mr. Bolton was the beloved husband of
the late Matilda Bolton.
Contributions may be made to the
Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123
Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI
48334. Interment at Hebrew Memorial
Park Cemetery–Pinsker Section.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.

58

January 6

s

2011

Central High School in 1943, Mr.
Rosenhaus enlisted in the Navy at age
18 and served on an aircraft carrier and
battleship in the Pacific Theater during
World War II. Later, he attended what is
now Wayne State University and gradu-
ated from the University of Miami in
Florida.
He joined the Builtwell Construction
Co. started in 1926 by his father, Sol
Rosenhaus, who "liter-
ally walked across much of
Europe" to come to America
said Rex. Sol Rosenhaus
built garages and porches
and survived the Great
Depression before his son
came into the business. The
company flourished into one
of the top Detroit area con-
struction companies.

was inducted into the organization's Hall
of Fame in 2005. He was the subject of
several trade magazine articles and acco-
lades in the building business. Uniland's
motto remains: "We build quality homes
that we would like to call our own."
Rex pointed out: "My father never
retired. He always came to the office
when he was in town and stayed con-
nected to the building business." Mr.
Rosenhaus also owned
homes in Charlevoix and in
Longboat Key, Fla. His wife,
Betty, to whom he was mar-
ried for more than 60 years,
died at age 80 in 2009.
"He worked out almost
every day of his life at the
Jewish Community Center,"
Rex recalled, "and was very
athletically inclined. He
played football and baseball
Hall of Fame Inductee Melvin Ros enhaus
at Central and also played
"My father developed several
tennis, but his main loves
cutting edge building con-
were boating and fishing."
cepts, such as gated communities, vari-
Larry Weisberg, 86, of Bloomfield
ous types of congregate housing where
Hills, who was Mr. Rosenhaus' friend
seniors share common dining and recre-
for 60 years, was his constant fishing
ation facilities, and the first food court in
companion in trips around the world.
a mall:' said Rex. It was the former Talley
"We had some harrowing experiences,
Hall, located on Orchard Lake Road just
navigating through unknown waters at
south of 14 Mile Road.
night, canoeing with an Indian guide
A board member of the Michigan
for hours to find just the right fishing
Builders Association, Melvin Rosenhaus
spot. As soon as we checked into a hotel

PEARL FELDHEIM FERENCZ, 100, of
Oak Park, died Jan. 2, 2011.
She was born in Hungary on Feb. 11,
1910. She came to the United States in
1930 and married Andor Feldheim in
1932. Widowed in 1959, she later married
Armin Ferencz.
Mrs. Ferencz was active in the sister-
hood of Congregation B'nai Moshe and in
Hadassah.
She is survived by her children, Dr. Paul
and Carol Feldheim of California, Harriet
Feldheim Hartman and Carl Hartman of
Colorado, Sandy Feldheim of Canada; sis-
ter, Elizabeth Weiss; eight grandchildren;
12 great-grandchildren; other relatives
throughout the United States, Canada and
Israel.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Andor Feldheim and the late Armin
Ferencz.
Her family would like to thank the
entire staff at the Coville Assisted Living
Apartments for the wonderful care given
to their mother for all the many years she

Obituaries

was there.
Interment at Adat Shalom Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
Congregation Beth Shalom, 14601 W.
Lincoln, Oak Park, MI 48237, www.
congbethshalom.org ; Jewish National
Fund, 27600 Farmington Road, Suite 204,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334, www.jnf.org/
midwestern; or a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

ROGER HACK, 59, of
Southfield, died Dec. 29,
2010.
He is survived by his
wife, Esther Hack; broth-
ers and sisters-in-law,
Paul and Francine Hack
of Birmingham, Bruce
Hack
and Dr. Cheryl Hack of
Huntington Woods, Andrew and Anita
Hack of Bloomfield Hills, Dr. Joel and
Wren Hack of West Bloomfield; many lov-
ing nieces and nephews.
Mr. Hack was the cherished son of the

anyplace, Mel wanted to know where the
closest fishing hole was?'
A founding member of the Great Lakes
Yacht Club in St. Clair Shores, Mel was its
first commodore.

Great Humility
"Even though he was a very successful
builder, he had great humility and corn-
passion for everyone. He wasn't pomp-
ous and never 'laid it on, said Weisberg.
"He knew he came from humble begin-
nings, and he showed great care for the
residents of the communities he built.
And he was always upbeat and optimistic
about everything:' said is longtime friend.
Melvin Rosenhaus is survived by
his son and daughter-in-law, Rex and
Janice Rosenhaus; son, Rick Rosenhaus
and daughter, Nancy Rosman, both of
Birmingham; grandchildren, Aaron, Alex,
Anna and Max Rosenhaus, Sarah, Ben, John
and David Rosman and Adam McClellan;
sister and brother-in-law, Eleanor and
Jerome Wolff of Stevenson, Md.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Betty Rosenhaus; the dear brother-
in-law of the late Alvin Ziv.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Jewish Hospice Chaplaincy Network,
6555 West Maple, West Bloomfield,
48322. Arrangements by the Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

late Samuel and the late Margie Hack.
Interment at Hebrew Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to Kadima,
15999 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI
48076, www.kadimacenter.org , or a char-
ity of one's choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

LOUIS KAMBER, 72, of
Redford Township, died
Dec. 29, 2010.
He is survived by his
sons and daughter-in-
law, David and Denise
Kamber of Scottsdale,
Ariz., Steven Kamber
Kamber
of Arizona; daughter,
c. 1950
Deborah Kamber of
Livonia; sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy
and Michael Mongan of Oak Park; grand-
children, Anna, Sarah, Rachel, Shawna and
Samantha Kamber, Kyle, Brett and Angela
Shannahan.
Mr. Kamber was the dear brother of the
late Janette Rachleff.