obituaries
Psychologist And Professor
D
r. Joseph B. Adelson, 86, died
Dec. 9, 2011.
He was born in the summer
of 1925 in the Bronx, N.Y., and spent his
childhood enduring the deepest of the
Great Depression.
English was his third language as a
child, and there was constant fear of
poverty in his parents' new country. But
he studied diligently in high school at
Townsend Harris and at the City College
of New York, where he received a B.S. in
1947, making reading and writing into
passions that would serve and support
him his entire life.
Dr. Adelson decided to travel across
the country for graduate school at the
University of California at Berkeley,
where he received his M.A. in 1950, and
he turned his education into a thriv-
ing profession in psychology. He began
a 47-year teaching career at Michigan
State University in 1950 and moved the
following year to Bennington College in
Vermont, where he taught for five years
before joining the University of Michigan
faculty in 1956 as a visiting assistant pro-
fessor of psychology. Ann Arbor is where
he would cultivate the fullest potential of
his talents as a writer and lecturer.
Dr. Adelson was promoted to assistant
va Mames, president of the
Southfield-based John J. Mames
Chapter-Michigan Region of
American Friends of Magen David
Adorn, died on Dec. 10, 2011.A teenage
survivor of the Holocaust, she miracu-
lously rebuilt her life in selfless dedica-
tion to noble causes and good deeds.
There will be complete details in next
week's Jewish News. Local arrangements
are by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. I I
professor in 1957, associate professor in
discussions with friends and also in his
1959 and professor in 1963. He taught
published works. He carved out a nation-
as he wrote: clearly and without wasted
ally respected niche as a thinker who
words. Although he was deeply proud
could reach into several different areas of
of what he had learned, his mission was
thought and find common themes.
always to share it with
Dr. Adelson built strong
those in his listening and
relationships with friends
reading audiences. He was
in psychology, academia
prolific, writing dozens
and politics but he was
of research papers and
no chameleon; he was
articles for national and
unafraid to voice his
international journals and
opinions and unafraid to
publications, and still he
disagree. By the 1980s,
always wished he could
he was at his full poten-
write more.
tial: He taught; he saw
Dr. Adelson supple-
patients; he spent qual-
mented his teaching with
ity time with his young
more teaching, hold-
family, and he wrote
ing an appointment as
his
best book, Inventing
Dr. Joseph Ad elson
senior psychologist at the
Adolescence: The Political
Psychological Clinic for
Psychology of Everyday
more than 30 years. It was there that he
Schooling. It tackled the deep challenges
met Margery, with whom he would spend
affecting the American educational sys-
the happiest years of his life. They mar-
tem but did so in a well-researched and
ried, raised a family and moved to Saline,
accessible way. The book received nation-
Mich. He was always a teacher at home as al acclaim both inside and outside the
well, advising his children on their own
psychology community. At around that
writing.
time, he had a chance to be a speechwrit-
Dr. Adelson was fascinated by politics
er in the Department of Education, but
and current events, often merging those
turned it down because he didn't want to
fields with psychology both in his lively
displace his family.
Dr. Adelson retired in 1997, but his
humor and opinions did not. He contin-
ued to be a voracious reader, and he loved
sharing his views and listening to those
of others. For more than a decade at the
end of his life, he fought illness quietly
and bravely, enjoying his family and his
reading even after he stopped writing. No
matter what his health or discomfort, he
found refuge in the company of his wife
and children and in the ever-changing
world of ideas and words.
Dr. Adelson is survived by his wife, Dr.
Marjorie Adelson; sons and daughters-
in-law, Larry and Pam Adelson of Illinois,
Ted and Ruth Adelson of Massachusetts,
Paul and Lynne Adelson of Illinois, Eric
and Andrea Adelson of Florida and David
Adelson; daughter, Gretchen Adelson of
New York; grandchildren, Emily, Sarah,
Robin, Hope and Anabelle; sister, Estelle
Goldberg of Arizona.
Interment was held at Arborcrest
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Beth Israel Congregation Ann Arbor,
2000 Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, MI 48104,
www.bethisreal-aa.org , or Jewish Family
Service of Ann Arbor, 2245 S. State
Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, www.info@
jfsannarbor.org . Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
HELEN BERKOWITZ, 91, of
Huntington Woods, died Dec. 9, 2011.
The daughter of Sara, Helen was
born on Aug. 26, 1920. On Dec. 12,
1943, Helen married Alfred, and they
were together for more than 67 years.
Helen was a wonderful, loving
woman. Her pride was being a mother,
grandmother and great-grandmother.
She adopted loving neighbors on
Balfour as her extended family, with
special mention of the Wachler family.
Mrs. Berkowitz is survived by her
loving daughters, Sharon (Leonard)
Shebses of West Bloomfield and
Sandra August of Milford, Conn.;
grandchildren, Amy (Steve) Klein,
Nicole (Aaron) Obermyer and Heather
August; great-grandchildren, Joshua
Klein and Payton Obermyer.
Interment was held at Oakview
Cemetery in Royal Oak. Contributions
can be made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
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