Photographer Of Generations

L

eo Knight, 85, of Novi, owner of
Leo Knight Photography, died
March 10, 2012. He loved pho-
tography, and the people he met were his
constant source of pleasure.
Leo was born in Detroit, the son of
Sam and Dora Urnovitz. He graduated
Cass Tech High School in 1943 with high-
est honors. He attended Wayne University
for a year and at age 18 entered the Army.
He served in Italy during World War II
with the 88th Infantry Division.
Photography was his love. After his
discharge in 1946, he returned to school
for a while but eventually began working
full time at Detroit Camera Shop. He went
into professional photography, working
out of his home in 1954.
Leo married Mary Lou Cooper in April
1949. They had four children. Randal
was born in 1950, Linda in 1952, Vicki in
1954 and Karen in 1956. They lost Karen
to leukemia in 1971.
In 1958, Leo opened his first studio on
Wyoming Avenue in Detroit. In 1970, he
built a 6000-square-foot bilevel building
in Southfield. The upper level housed a
state-of-the-art photo studio.
Leo's work was becoming more popu-
lar. His portraits were displayed in many

of the homes of notable and affluent peo-
ple. With a talented staff of eight, all areas
of photography were handled: weddings,
bar mitzvahs, commercial and theatrical.
In the 1960s and '70s he did many of
Motown's artists' publicity, press release
photos and album covers. The Supremes,
Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy and the Four
Tops were but a few of the people he cap-
tured with his cameras.
Leo was very active in professional
photographic associations. He also was
a dedicated member of the Southfield
Rotary Club.
Mary Lou died of lung cancer at the
age of 51 in 1978.
Leo married Suzanne Schatz in 1980.
She became a very important part of the
studio operation as a receptionist and
party planner.
Sue's family and Leo's family melded
together beautifully during the ensuing
years. They spent many memorable times
together watching the grandchildren
grow into adulthood.
Mr. Knight is survived by his son and
daughter-in-law, Randy Urnovitz and
Hazel Hoeft; daughters and sons-in-law,
Linda and Stephen Johnson of Texas,
and Vicki and John Lang of Royal Oak;

Suzanne's chil-
dren, Dr. Steven
and Barbara
Shumer, Laurie
and Howard
Stoller, and
Amy and Dean
Gilbert; grand-
Leo Knight
children, Jamie
and Stephen Asaro, Stacy and Stewart
Holmes, Daniel Shumer and Omar Lugo,
Jeffrey and Marge Shumer, Gregory
Shumer, Eric Stoller and fiancee, Julie
Fried, Jeremy Stoller and fiancee, Wendy
Friedman, Jason Gilbert and Alyse
Gilbert; great-grandchildren, Avery, Elena
and Camden Asaro, Rayna and Carter
Holmes.
He was the beloved husband of the late
Mary Lou Knight and the late Suzanne
Knight; the loving father of the late Karen
Ann Knight; the dear brother of the
late Dr. Henry E. Knight, the late Sidney
Knight and the late Edward Knight.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of
Michigan, 1471 E. 12 Mile Road, Madison
Heights, MI 48071, www.11s.org/aboutlls/
chapters/mi; or Temple Israel, 5725
Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48323, www.temple-israel.org.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

❑

MARGIE LEDERER, 89,

of West Bloomfield, died
March 8, 2012.
She is survived by
her daughter, Judith
Siegel of Southfield;
sons and daughter-in-
law, Jerry and Martha
Lederer
Lederer of Paradise
Valley, Ariz., Edward Lederer of West
Bloomfield; grandchildren, Renee (Yair
Nadiv) Siegel, Noah (Alison) Siegel,
Aaron (Simcha) Siegel, Deborah (Joel)
Pearlman, Rachel (Todd) Gold, Brandon
Lederer, Bene Lederer, Zachary Lederer,
Sydney Lederer; great-grandchildren,
Paul, Daniel, Benjamin, Adam, Aviel,
Danielle, Alexandra, Charles, Maxwell,
Oliver, Lila.
Mrs. Lederer was the beloved wife of
the late Milton Lederer, mother-in-law
of the late Donald Siegel and the late
Marcy Lederer; sister of the late Hilda
Greenberg and the late Irving Seldes.
Contributions may be made to
the Friendship Circle or to a char-
ity of one's choice. Interment took
place at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.

Obituaries on page 70

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