obituaries

Renowned Doctor A Leader In HIV Research

T

he flag at Harvard Medical
School flew at half-staff in
memory of Dr. Norman Letvin,
who died May 28, 2012, at the age of 62.
Dr. Letvin, of Newton, Mass., was
a professor of medicine at Harvard
Medical School, served as chief of the
Division of Viral Pathogenesis at Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center and
was the director of the Non-Human
Primate Research Program at the
National Institutes of Health Vaccine
Research Center.
Dr. Letvin grew up on Detroit's
West side and was a graduate of Cass
Technical High School. He was an
outstanding classical clarinetist; and,
growing up, he participated in citywide

ALEXANDER "AL" RYAN AMBER, 26,
of East Lansing, died June 6, 2012.
He was born April 30, 1986, in Lansing.
Mr. Amber was the beloved son of
Benjamin L. and Rachael D. Amber;
beloved brother of Troy L. (Carole)
Amber and Jacob E. Amber.
The service was held at the Estes-
Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel,
with Rabbi Michael Zimmerman of
Congregation Kehillat Israel officiat-
ing. Interment followed in Evergreen
Cemetery in Lansing. Contributions
may be made to OXFAM. Online condo-
lences may be left for the family at www.
EstesLeadley.com .

RHODA BENADERET,
82, of West Bloomfield,
died June 8, 2012.
She is survived by
her husband of 64
years, Sol Benaderet;
daughter and sons-in-
law, Janice and David
Benaderet
Friedlander of Illinois,
and Dr. Linda Benaderet
of Arizona; son and daughter-in-law, Dr.
David Benaderet and Anne Mariotti of
Rochester Hills; grandchildren, Jessica
and Daniel Peck, Amanda Shatzman and
Jonathan Benaderet; brother and sister-in-
law, Stanford and Elaine Arden of Georgia;
brother-in-law, Dr. Gerald Benaderet.
Mrs. Benaderet was the dear sister-
in-law of the late DeDe Benaderet and
the late Shirley and the late Sheldon
Nachman.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to Jewish
Family Service, 6555 W. Maple Road,
West Bloomfield, MI 48322,
www.jfsdetroit.org ; or Peter & Dorothy
Brown Adult Day Care Program, 6720 W.
Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322,
www.jslmi.org . Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

bands and orchestras and spent sum-
mers at Interlochen Arts Camp. He
continued performing for the rest of
his life.
In 1967, he matricu-
lated at Harvard College,
and, in 1975, graduated
from Harvard Medical
School. After two years
of post-graduate train-
ing at the hospital
of the University of
Pennsylvania, and a third
year at the Massachusetts
Dr. Norman
General Hospital, Dr.
Letvin began work in the
lab of Nobel Prize-winning immunolo-
gist, Professor Baruj Benacerraf.

There, he began his lifelong study of
the immune system and its relationship
to the cause and prevention of disease.
Dr. Letvin discov-
ered both the simian
immunodeficiency
virus (SIV) and the
AIDS-like disease that
it causes in the rhesus
monkey. He became
one of the world's
most influential lead-
ers in the field of
HIV research and the
Letvin
quest for an HIV vac-
cine.
He was an exceptional mentor to
all his students. In 2009, Harvard

EDWARD BERGER, 88, of St. Clair
Shores, died June 5, 2012. He was a clerk
for the city of Detroit.
Mr. Berger is survived by his many lov-
ing nieces and nephews.
He was the last of seven children of the
late Max and the late Sarah Berger; the
loving brother of the late Mary Simpson,
the late Leo Berger, the late Charles Berger,
the late Gertrude Portscheller, the late
Esther Berger and the late Blanche Berger.
Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

LILLIAN BERMAN, 98, of Southfield,
died June 9, 2012.
She was a member of Congregation
Ahavas Israel in Grand Rapids and a past
president of its sisterhood. She was also a
supporter of Boystown of Jerusalem and
a member of Hadassah.
Mrs. Berman is survived by her daugh-
ter and son-in-law, Mimi and Marvin
Sandler of New York, N.Y.; sons and
daughters-in-law, Ronald and Ronnie
Berman of Southfield, Joe and Susie
Berman of Hewlett Harbor, N.Y.; six
grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Berman was the beloved wife of
the late Percy Berman.
Contributions may be made to
Boystown of Jerusalem Inc., 1 Penn Plaza,
Suite 6250, New York, NY 10119; Yeshivat
Akiva, 21100 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield,
MI 48076; or Yad Ezra, 2850 W. 11 Mile
Road, Berkley, MI 48072. Services and
interment were held at Ahavas Israel
Cemetery in Grand Rapids. 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 building 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.
He is also survived by his brother, Marvin
Cohen, and sister, 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.

Ellias

PEGGY ELLIAS, 90, of
Bloomfield Hills, died
June 9, 2012.
She is survived by her
daughter and son-in-law,
Lauri Ellias and James
D. Murphy Jr.; grand-
children, Dr. James D.
Murphy III and Dr. Heidi
Young; sister-in-law,
; nieces and nephews and

Dolores Yass
caregivers.
Mrs. Ellias was the beloved wife of the
late Dr. Elmer Ellias; the loving sister of
the late Harold Yassky; the dear sister-in-
law of the late Ruth and the late James
Aftel, the late Harold and the late Esther
and the late Betty Ellias, the late Dr. Sidney
and the late Helen Ellias.
Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions in her memory may be
made to Front Range Equine Rescue, P.O.
Box 307, Larkspur, CO 80118,
www.frontrangeequinerescue.org; or the
Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, 305
Seventh Ave., 19th Floor, New York, NY
10061-6008, www.jfr.org. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

Obituaries

Medical School honored him with the
William Silen Lifetime Achievement in
Mentoring Award, the medical school's
most prestigious teaching award.
Above all, Dr. Letvin was devoted
to his family. He is survived by his
beloved wife, Marion; his four children,
Andrea (Franto) Ricka, Rebecca, Adam
and Elizabeth. He was the son of Esther
and the late Albert Letvin; brother
of David (Alice) Letvin of Wilmette,
Ill., and Judy (Marty) Liebman of
Farmington Hills.
Contributions may be made
to Interlochen Arts Camp (www.
interlochen.org/support) or the
Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra (www.hcs.
harvard.edu/—hro/).

DR. HERBERT FRIEDMAN, 75, of
Poway, Calif., died June 9, 2012.
He is survived by his wife, Vicki
Friedman; children, Jason and
Esperanza Friedman of San Diego,
Calif., Melissa Friedman of Long
Beach, Calif., Nicole and Josef Eshet of
Hollywood, Fla., and Jordan Friedman
of Poway; grandchildren, Justin, Joshua
and Jaden Friedman, and Rachel and
Jacob Eshet; sister, Roberta Wolf.
Dr. Friedman was the dear brother-in-
law of the late Joseph Gerald Wolf.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

Gabe

LOUIS GABE, 92, of
Novi, died June 5, 2012.
He was the founder
of Gabe Shoes. He was
also a past president of
the Farmington Hills
Kiwanis Club and was
active at Temple Israel,
Yad Ezra and Meals on

Wheels.
Mr. Gabe is survived by his beloved
wife, Yetta Gabe; daughter and son-
in-law, Susan and Rick Kellman of
Commerce; sons and daughters-
in-law, Howard and Sheila Gabe of
Pickerington, Ohio, Edward and
Deborah Gabe of Novi; grandchild, Evan
Gabe; many other loving family mem-
bers and friends.
Mr. Gabe was the brother of the late
Julius (the late Marion) Gabe.
Contributions may be made to the
Alzheimer's Association or to a charity
of one's choice. Interment took place at
the Beth El Memorial Park Cemetery
in Livonia. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

Obituaries on page 122

June 14 2012

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