obituaries
A Dedicated Educator
L
ongtime local educator Arthur
Behrmann, Ph.D., 78, of Oro
Valley, Ariz., died Nov. 8, 2011.
He was born in Detroit, the first of three
children of Ida and Charles Behrmann. Dr.
Berhrmann attended elementary, middle
school and Cass Technical High School
in Detroit, earning a full scholarship to
Michigan Tech in Houghton.
After transferring to Wayne State
University, he met Loretta "Lorie"
Weingarden, the love of his life; and
they married in 1956. Five years later,
he began his teaching career while con-
tinuing his education. During the next
few years, he taught in Southfield, Royal
Oak and Ypsilanti before accepting the
position of Hartland Elementary School
principal. For 29 years, Dr. Berhrmann
was a respected administrator in the
Hartland School District. He started his
tenure there as principal of the "Old 21"
building and was instrumental in open-
ing two other elementary schools: the
Round Building in 1970 and the Lakes
Elementary in 1977. He remained prin-
JACK ATTIS, 95, died Nov. 13, 2011, in
Boca Raton, Fla.
He was born in 1916 in Dorbyan,
Lithuania, and was raised in Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada. A sergeant in the
Canadian Army during World War II,
he moved to Detroit when he married
Phyllis Singer in 1946. He was a member
of a family of kosher butchers going back
many generations. Phyllis was the daugh-
ter of a kosher butcher and Jack became
a partner in her father's business, Singer's
Meat Market.
Upon retirement and a move to the Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla., area in 1980, Jack and
Phyllis enjoyed a leisurely retirement,
including watching their only grandchild
grow up.
Mr. Attis is survived by his daughter
and son-in-law, Bonnie and James Hernan
of Delray Beach, Fla.; daughter, Lyn
Friedman of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; grand-
daughter, Emily Buethe of Tampa, Fla.;
sister-in-law, Lillian Gallant of Farmington
Hills; brother-in-law, Meir Edoff of
California; nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by his wife, Phyllis
Singer Attis, in 1999; his sister, Alice Edoff;
brother, Maurice Attis; sister-in-law, Sally
Attis; sister, Jean Begelfer; brother-in-
law, Morton Begelfer; and brother-in-law
Seymour Gallant.
Services were held at Star of David
Cemetery, 7701 Bailey Road, North
Lauderdale, Fla.
cipal there until 1984, when he became
principal of the Village Elementary.
After receiving his Ph.D. in 1975 from
Michigan State University in administra-
tion and higher education, he became
an adjunct professor
at Eastern Michigan
University and later at
Michigan State University.
As an educator and admin-
istrator, Dr. Behrmann
was highly respected and
always put the children
first. He was a leader; he
was innovative; he was
loyal to his students and
staff, and for that he earned
tremendous respect.
Dr. A. Arthur
Dr. Behrmann took great Behrmann
pride in being an early
adapter, bringing comput-
ers to the Hartland School District. He
always maintained a love for the students
and spent his last four years back in the
classroom as a fifth-grade teacher.
In 1975, travel became an important
SHELDON BENIS, 78,
of West Bloomfield,
died Nov. 8, 2011.
He is survived by
his wife, Diane Benis;
daughter and son-in-
law, Lisa and David
Stafford of Huntington
Benis
Woods; grandchildren,
Joshua Levin, Mitchell Levin and Mollie
Levin; many other relatives and friends.
Interment was held at Machpelah
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to National Kidney Foundation, 1169
Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108,
www.nkfm.org; or American Diabetes
Association, 30300 Telegraph Road,
Suite 105, Bingham Farms, MI 48025,
www.diabetes.org . Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
IDA DRASNIN, 86, of Farmington Hills,
died Nov. 11, 2011.
She is survived by her sons and
daughter-in-law, Marc and Lisa Drasnin
of West Bloomfield, David Drasnin
and his significant other, Jennifer
Zhao; grandchildren, Samantha, Alana
Drasnin; sister, Sally Ure; nieces and
nephews, Gayle and Robert Lisiecki,
Cheryl L. Gluski, Michael Ure, Lisa Ure;
many other loving relatives and friends.
Mrs. Drasnin was the beloved wife
for 51 years of the late Mayer Drasnin;
dear sister and sister-in-law of the late
Bernice Barill, the late Irving Barill, and
part of his life. He and his wife purchased
the first of many trailers and spent many
summers traveling around the country
seeing most of the United States and
Canada.
Dr. Behrmann was an
ardent football fan and loved
a good game of golf. After
retiring in 1995, he devel-
oped a great love for cruising,
discovering many new places.
The couple spent their win-
ters in Arizona but remained
in Hartland for another seven
years before moving to West
Bloomfield.
They left Michigan
for full-time residence
in Tucson, Ariz., only six
months ago and had been
looking forward to spend-
ing their remaining years in their new
home overlooking the mountains. More
than anything, Dr. Behrmann cherished
his family. He adored his wife and it was
obvious to all who knew them that they
shared a very special love for each other.
Dr. Behrmann took great pride in the
achievements and talents of his daughter,
his son-in-law (whom he thought of as
son) and his two granddaughters, 17 and
13, watching them grow into lovely, tal-
ented young women.
He is survived by his wife, Loretta
"Lorie" Behrmann; daughter and son-
in-law, Barbara Behrmann and Mark
Fowler; grandchildren, Emily and Rachel
Behrmann-Fowler; brother, Erwin
Behrmann; sister, Joyce Berenstein; many
other family members and friends.
Dr. Behrmann was the dear brother-in-
law of the late Aubrey Berenstein.
Interment was held at Machpelah
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Beaumont Foundation, Pediatric
Hematology-Oncology Fund, P.O. Box
58023, Troy, MI 48007; the Birmingham
Temple, 28611 W. 12 Mile Road,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334,
www.birminghamtemple.org; or a
charity of one's choice. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel. i t
the late Harold Ure.
Contributions may be made to
American Cancer Society, 20450 Civic
Center Drive, Southfield, MI 48076; or
Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network,
6555 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48322. Graveside services were
held at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.
of Potomac, Md., Bart and Gwen
Gastwirth of Buffalo Grove, Ill.; grand-
child, Matthew Pierce Trager; sister-in-
law, Helene (Ken) Brower; many nieces,
nephews, other family members and
friends.
Contributions may be made to the
Vivian and Heinz Seiferheld Fund at
the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Institute or to a charity of one's choice.
Interment was held at the Adat Shalom
Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
WALTER FISCHEL, 96, of Farmington
Hills, died Nov. 6, 2011.
He is survived by many loving family
members and friends.
Mr. Fischel was the beloved husband
of the late Seema Fischel.
Contributions may be made to the
Jewish War Veterans or a charity of one's
choice. Interment took place at the B'nai
Israel Memorial Gardens Cemetery in
Novi. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
CRAIG MARSHALL
GASTWIRTH, 61, of
West Bloomfield, died
Nov. 10. 2011.
He is survived by
his beloved wife,
Cheryl Gastwirth of
West Bloomfield; son,
Gastwirth
Andrew and fiancee,
Dr. Alicia Gastwirth of Chicago; daugh-
ter and son-in-law, Stacy and Dr. Jason
Trager of Grayslake, Ill.; brothers and
sisters-in-law, Glenn and Joy Gastwirth
AARON GOFF, 82, of Farmington Hills,
died Nov. 10, 2011.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Evelyn Goff of Farmington Hills; sons
and daughters-in-law, David and
Deborah Silverstein of Southfield,
Michael and Karen Silverstein of Grand
Rapids; daughter and son-in-law, Susan
and James Walker of Farmington Hills;
brother and sister-in-law, Myron and
Gloria Goff of Livonia; grandchildren,
Lauren (Rebecca Feldman) Silverstein.
Lovingly know as "Uncle Aaron" to his
students, he is also survived by many
loving nieces, nephews, other family
members and friends.
Contributions may be made to
Children's Hospital of Michigan or to a
charity of one's choice. Interment was
held at the Beth El Cemetery in Livonia.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
Obituaries on page 74
Obituaries
November 17 2011
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