obituaries

'Dignity And Strength'

Esther Allweiss Ingber
Contributing Writer

Reflecting on the importance to Eden
Kutz Camp in New York together.
of both Temple Israel congregations,
Jeff played basketball for Groves High
Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh of Hollywood
in Beverly Hills and Eden, a cheerleader
ctress Eden Elizabeth Cooper
officiated at Eden's funeral service, while
for rival Andover, always looked forward
Sage, 47, died May 27, 2012, after Rabbi Paul Yedwab of West Bloomfield
to seeing him at their schools' matchups.
a valiant nine-year battle with
delivered a eulogy. His colleague, Rabbi
Their 10-year courtship lasted through
ovarian cancer. She passed away at her
Harold Loss, sat among the
high school, college, gradu-
Los Angeles home while being held gen-
mourners.
ate school and Jeff's oph-
fly by her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Sage, and
Eden's shivah in L.A. shift-
thalmology training. They
brother Dr. Adam Cooper.
ed earlier this week to the
married on Aug. 19, 1990.
Two Reform congregations named
Bloomfield Hills home of her
Locally, Eden Cooper-
Temple Israel were central to Eden's
parents, Carol and Gerson
Sage (her stage name)
life. The Michigan temple, now in West
"Gersh" Cooper.
acted at the JET, Purple
Bloomfield, is where she became a bat
According to her mother,
Rose and Gem theaters.
mitzvah and achieved confirmation and
Eden was born to be an
She returned to Michigan
graduation. She also taught at the temple's actress. "From her earliest
monthly during her two
Eden Cooper Sage
religious school and began its madrichim years, she put on her own
years as an industrial film
(leaders) program, where older students
plays for the neighborhood
spokesperson for General
assisted younger ones.
kids," said Carol.
Motors Truck Division.
Later, Temple Israel of Hollywood in
A 1982 graduate of Andover High
Eden had a film credit in Just Add Love,
Los Angeles became her spiritual home,
School in Bloomfield Hills, Eden earned a
a romantic-comedy starring Wendie
where she was a teacher, an interim reli-
bachelor's degree in theater and fine arts
Malick, and a recurring role in the day-
gious school director and a b'nai mitzvah in 1986 at the University of Michigan. Two
time television drama Generations.
coordinator. In a letter to parents, Head
years later, she completed a master of fine
More recently, she and an acting/writ-
of School Rachel Lewin said Eden fought
arts in theater and drama at the University
ing partner staged plays for students on
her disease "with dignity and strength."
of Southern California in Los Angeles.
such topics as bullying and drugs. Eden
Eden also served as a classroom parent
also was involved in L.A. with MAZON:
for her sons — Elijah, now 12, and Jonah, Lifelong Love
A Jewish Response to Hunger and the
10 — and volunteered at their school.
Eden Cooper's destiny was linked to that
Ovarian Cancer Coalition.
She volunteered as well at temple-wide
of Jeff Sage since their second-grade
events. In addition, she taught at Kehillat
Sunday school classes at Temple Israel.
Others
Ma'arav, a Conservative congregation in
They began dating on her 16th birthday
Friend Jaclyn Lafer of L.A. said Eden
Santa Monica.
and attended the Reform movement's
was someone who never expected you

A

"

THELMA ABEL, 90, of Novi, died May 30,
2012.
She is survived by her son, Kerry Abel;
her chosen son and grandson, Howard
Gourwitz and Jake Gourwitz; sister-in-law,
Belle Abel; many nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Abel was the beloved wife for 64
years of the late Norman Abel; the loving
mother of the late Martin Abel; the devot-
ed daughter of the late Samuel and the late
Dora Schneider; the cherished sister of the
late Isadore "Irving" Schneider and the late
Aim Chabot; dear sister-in-law of the late
Isadore "Sid" Abel, and the late Gerald and
the late Marcia Abel.
Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to Jewish
Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W.
Maple, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, www.
jewishhospice.org ; or Temple Israel, 5725
Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48323, www.temple-israel.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

MARIAN
ALEXANDER, 72, of
Parkland, Fla., died June
2, 2012.
She is survived by
her husband, Donald
Alexander; son, David

Alexander of Chicago; daughters and
sons-in-law, Deborah and Dr. Robert Ernst
of Franklin, Maine and Kevin Kluge of
Florida, and Gail and Dr. Jason Weiss of
Illinois; grandchildren, Alexis, Matthew
and Jason Ernst, Jordan and Andrew
Kluge, Eleanor, Daniella, Seth and Jonah
Weiss; sister-in-law, Anita Kay.
Interment was at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park Cemetery. Contributions
may be made to Sylvester Cancer Research
Center, 1475 N.W. 12th Ave., Miami, FL
33136; or Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network, 6555 W. Maple, West Bloomfield,
MI 48322, www.jewishhospice.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

SUZANNA ARON, 61, of Southfield, died
May 21, 2012.
She is survived by her husband of 41
years, Boris Aron; father, Yaakov Nisman;
son and daughter-in-law, Alexander
Avraham and Haya Aron of Southfield;
brother and sister-in-law, Yevgenyi and
Malvina Nisman; grandchildren, Edmond
Meshulam Aron, Rut Aron, Amos Aron.
Mrs. Aron was the loving daughter of
the late Betya Nisman.
Contributions may be made to Mayanot,
228 Park Ave. South, Suite 96553, New York,
NY 10003; or FREE (Friends of Refugees

Alexander

56 June 7 ® 2012

Obituaries

of Eastern Europe), 15900 W. 10 Mile
Road, Southfield, MI 48075. Interment
was at Nusach Hari Cemetery in Ferndale.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

ALLEN COHEN, 75, of Naples, Fla., for-
merly of Detroit, died May 27, 2012.
Mr. Cohen was a pharmacist and owned
several drugstores in the Metro Detroit
area. He had spent the last 20 years living
in Naples, where he had a home build-
ing business. The last years of his life
he enjoyed walking the beach with his
beloved dog Mandy and boating in the
Gulf of Mexico.
He is survived by his son, Ron Cohen,
and daughter-in-law, Stephanie Rauber of
Brooklyn; daughter, Debbie Gordon, and
son-in-law, Stephen Gordon of Highland
Park, Ill.; grandchildren Eli, Max and
Rachel Gordon, and Julia Cohen. The two
special women in his life were Barbara
Cohen and his companion, Carol Potter.
Mr. Cohen was the cherished brother of
the late Marvin Cohen and the late Shelia
Solomon.
Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to JDRF-
Illinois, Allen Cohen Fund, 11 S. LaSalle
St., Suite 1800 Chicago, IL 60603.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

to be anything but who you are — your
authentic self"
Eden offered these last words to Carol:
"Mom, I feel so badly. You lost your
mother as a child, and now you're losing
your daughter."
Even at the end of her life, Eden strived
to comfort others. "She thought about
me," Carol said. "But family always came
first with Eden."
Eden is survived by her husband,
Dr. Jeffrey Sage; sons, Elijah and Jonah
Sage; parents, Carol and Gerson "Gersh"
Cooper; brothers and sister-in-law, Dr.
Adam and Carol Cooper, and Eban
Cooper; father-in-law and mother-in-law,
Dr. Jerome and Brenda Sage; brothers-
in-law and sisters-in-law, Lawrence and
Sue Sage, Sherry Schwartz and Michelle
Chekan; nephews and nieces, Hunter,
Claudia and Natalie Cooper, Jessica and
Jason Schwartz, Ari and Ryan Chekan;
and a world of supportive and loving
friends.
Interment was in California.
Contributions may be made to Cedars-
Sinai Medical Center, Ovarian Cancer
Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles,
CA 90048, www.cedarssinai.org ; or
Temple Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road,
West Bloomfield, MI 48323, www.
temple-israel.org . Local assistance by Ira
Kaufman Chapel. E

DOROTHY FENWICK,
96, of West Bloomfield,
died June 2, 2012.
She was a pharmacist
and was a member of
Temple Beth El.
Mrs. Fenwick is
survived by her son
Fenwick
and daughter-in-law,
Ronald and Karen Fenwick of Bloomfield
Hills; daughters and son-in-law, Elaine
and Jeffrey Klein of New York, and Carol
Rhodes of Wisconsin; grandchildren,
Stephen and Sam Schwartz-Fenwick,
Marla and Al Garmo, Keith Klein, Darren
and Jamie Klein, Shane and Maggie Klein,
Gentry and Ronni Klein, Sarah and Jason
Collins, and Shaula Rhodes; 11 great-
grandchildren.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Earl Fenwick; the loving sister of the
late Abraham Freeman, the late Beatrice
Frohwirth and the late Sylvia Freeman.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Road,
Bloomfield Hills, 48301. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

