obituaries

CONTINUED FROM COVER

to give back to the community," said his
son-in-law, Larry Wolfe of Bloomfield
Hills. "He showed us how to do it and cre-
ated a wonderful legacy."
Mr. Kahn, 89, of Bloomfield Hills, who
rose from humble beginnings to reach
the heights of magnanimity in Michigan,
died of complications of pneumonia and
Alzheimer's disease at West Bloomfield's
Henry Ford Hospital Jan. 3, 2012.

Adviser In Latter Years
Until recently — even though his health
was failing — he was "still giving me
counsel and advice said Wolfe, who is
president of Production Tool Supply in
Warren, the company that Kahn founded
in 1951.
Mr. Kahn's philanthropic actions are
coming to fruition among the new gen-
erations. Wolfe is past president of the
Jewish Community Center, and Mr. Kahn's
grandson Jeremy Wolfe of Bloomfield
Hills is on the JCC board. Mr. Kahn's
daughter Patti Aaron of Ann Arbor is a
past JCC officer. His daughter Andi Wolfe
of Bloomfield Hills is a past chairperson
of the annual Jewish Book Fair.
The JCC building in West Bloomfield is
named the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Jewish
Community Center, "which was probably
his proudest gift to local residents;' Andi
Wolfe said. "He provided the lead gift,
$3.6 million, for the building's construc-
tion." Betty Kahn died in 2004 after they
had been married for 54 years.
"But Dan's generosity was not just
about putting names on buildings; it was
about creating a strong cadre of family
members to carry on his work to con-
tinue his amazing legacy of giving back
to the community," pointed out Mark Lit,
JCC executive director. "He was larger
than life."
Mr. Kahn's son, Mark of Encino, Calif.,
endowed a University of Michigan Medical
School professorship in 2003 after the
death of his wife, Gayle Halperin Kahn.
This followed D. Dan Kahn's gift of $1

die plants, plastics shops and
various other firms nationwide.

million to the U-M Cardiovascular
Center (CVC) "because I have tre-
mendous respect for [U-M], and its
health care system gives first-class
care," Mr. Kahn said at that time.
U-M recognized the gift by naming
the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Patient
and Family Reception Area in the
Ambulatory Care Clinic Suite of the
CVC building.

Amazing Generosity
"Dan always was involved in
so many activities and philan-
thropic endeavors that it was
hard to believe there was only
one D. Dan Kahn',' said Rabbi
Aaron Bergman in his eulogy at
the Jan. 5 funeral. "His generos-
ity was amazing."
Great Technion Supporter
D. Dan Kahn is survived
Mr. Kahn's philanthropy knew no
by his daughter and son-in-
bounds, spreading to Technion-
law, Andi and Larry Wolfe
Israel Institute of Technology in
of Bloomfield Hills; son and
Haifa, where one of the largest gifts
Technion President Peretz Lavie bestowed an honorary
daughter-in-law, Mark and Judy
doctorate degree upon Kahn in Detroit last October.
ever made to Technion was for the
Kahn of Encino, Calif.; daughter,
D. Dan and Betty Kahn Memorial
Patti
Aaron
of Ann Arbor; sister-in-law,
Popular Everywhere
Engineering Building now under con-
Sylvia
Koss;
grandchildren, Jeremy Wolfe,
struction. The Kahns also funded a medi- Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mr. Kahn
Ericka
Thacker,
Ilyssa Foxx, Alex Kahn,
often moved around the Midwest with
cal robotics laboratory and a protective
Nicole,
Amanda
and Bryan Aaron; great-
his family when his father, Morris Kahn,
shield to secure the campus.
grandchildren,
Jackson
Wolfe, Braedyn,
became a traveling salesman after los-
He was a past president of the
Judah
and
Rafi
Thacker,
and Evan Foxx.
ing his dry goods store in the Great
American Technion Society's Detroit
He
also
is
survived
by
his
companion,
Depression.
chapter and received an honorary fellow-
Ardis
Feldman,
and
her
family;
caregiver,
"He spent only two years at Benton
ship in 2006 and an honorary doctorate
Sheila
Daley;
and
loving
nieces
and neph-
Harbor High School but became popular
last October from Technion President
ews.
enough to be elected senior class presi-
Peretz Lavie in a ceremony at Andi and
He was the son of the late Morris and
dent:' said Andi Wolfe
Larry Wolfe's home.
the
late Anna Kahn; husband of the late
"They loved Danny Kahn. The 'D'
"He fell in love with Israel on his first
Betty
Kahn; father of the late Laurence
stood for David, but he always used Dan
trip there and made many more trips,
Kahn;
brother of the late Muriel Steinberg
because people kept calling him Danny.
doing what he could to help the nation:'
and
the
late Edward Kahn; son-in-law of
"Both of his parents died by the time
said Andi Wolfe. "He was a strong sup-
the
late
Jacob
and the late Fannie Koss.
he turned 17. He attended Western
porter of Israel Bonds because he said
Donations
may
be made to Adat
buying the bonds was like lending money Teachers College (now Western Michigan
Shalom
Synagogue,
29901 Middlebelt,
University); but he dropped out, saying he
to a family member."
Farmington
Hills,
48334,
(248) 851-
had a choice of going to college or eating."
Mr. Kahn made major gifts to the
Jewish
5100,
www.adatshalom.org;
Mr. Kahn enlisted in the Army Air
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Community
Center,
D.
Dan
and
Betty
Corps and was a technical instructor.
Detroit, the United Jewish Foundation,
Kahn
Millennium
Fund,
6600
W.
Maple
Congregation Adat Shalom in Farmington World War II ended as he was about to be
Road,
West
Bloomfield,
48322,
www.
shipped out to combat.
Hills, where he was a longtime member,
jccdet.org .;or American Technion Society,
He worked for a relative at Gratiot Tool
and to World ORT.
D. Dan and Betty Kahn Mechanical
Co. on Detroit's east side before becom-
"I remember I asked him to give a
Engineering
Building, 30230 Orchard
speech at an ORT meeting at my house; he ing an entrepreneur and launching
Lake
Road,
#155,
Farmington Hills,
Production
Tool
Supply.
The
company,
was very sick that day, but he went through
.
48334,
www.ats.org
which
has
18
affiliated
locations
around
with the speech anyway because he said
Interment
was
held
at Adat Shalom
the
country,
manufactures
cutting
tools,
the cause was so important," recalled
Memorial
Park.
Arrangements
by Ira
drill
bits
and
precision
instruments,
Doreen Hermelin of Bingham Farms. "He
Kaufman
Chapel.
❑
among
other
tools,
and
sells
to
tool
and
was an outstanding philanthropist."

Iconic Publisher Shaped Detroit Region

S

am Logan, who shaped and
guided the Detroit-based
Michigan Chronicle since joining
its staff in 1961, including most of the
last 25 years as its independent-minded
publisher, passed away suddenly on
Dec.28. He was 78.
Logan, a Louisiana native who
moved to Detroit with his family as
a child, was instrumental in elevat-
ing the Chronicle into one of America's
most respected and successful publica-
tions, providing an outlet and voice for
African-Americans who were typically
overlooked or ignored by mainstream

media. At the time of his death, Logan
was a partner in the Detroit-based Real
Times Media Group,
which also published the
Chicago Defender, the
New Pittsburgh Courier,
the Memphis Tri-State
Defender and Michigan
Front Page.
During his career at
the Chronicle, Logan
took positions he felt
would benefit Detroit and Sam Logan
the region, even if they
offended a majority of his readership,

politicians and clergy. He was at the
forefront in exposing corruption in the
Detroit public school system,
called for Kwame Kilpatrick
to resign as mayor of Detroit
in a front-page editorial and,
though mostly aligned with
Democratic political posi-
tions, occasionally endorsed
Republican candidates,
including Rick Snyder and
John Engler for governor.
"Sam Logan, the Michigan
Chronicle and community
leadership are synonymous:' Jewish

Obituaries

News Publisher Arthur Horwitz said.
"Sam was someone I looked to over
the years for insight and guidance. He
understood and appreciated the role all
minority and ethnic media play in help-
ing to shape the narrative about Detroit
and Southeast Michigan.
"The Chronicle, under Sam's guidance,
was in the forefront of collaborating
with all who were interested in elevat-
ing Detroit and Detroiters, regardless
of what side of Eight Mile Road they
inhabited:' he added.

❑

Obituaries on page 56

January 12 2012

55

