A Zest For Life
Marielle Temkin
JN Intern
V
ictor Lawson had a remark-
able zest for life that was strong
through all of his 97 years.
Taking sales orders practically until the
time he died on July 9, 2012, he had an
unceasing enthusiasm for keeping busy
and getting the most out of life.
Larry Lawson said his father always
spoke of four things that contributed to
his longevity: diet, exercise, attitude, and
love and romance.
"He acted like he was a lot younger and
always had a good attitude and spirit:'
said Larry.
'As a family, we would encourage him
to go to events for seniors in the area; but
he never wanted to go because he would
say they were for old people — he was
saying that even when he was 96."
Mr. Lawson, who lived in West
Bloomfield, worked for 81 years in the
retail paint industry — including being
a part owner of Mac-O-Lac Paint — and
many of his customers were multi-gener-
ational.
Loved By His Customers
"We called a number of his customers to
tell them about his passing:' said Larry,
"and many of them were in tears when
they heard. Many have been dealing with
him for 50 or 60 years; he had very loyal
customers.
LESLIE ACKERMANN,
87, of Hallandale, Fla.,
formerly of the Detroit
area, died Nov. 18, 2011.
Mr. Ackermann
was
born in Ungvar,
Ho
UST
Czechoslovakia, the
• devoted son of Jeno and
Szeren Ackermann. As a very young man,
he survived the Holocaust and was, in
fact, the sole survivor of his family. During
these difficult years, he helped many a
fellow Jew also survive; in his later years,
he similarly helped many an otherwise
housebound neighbor by providing a
helping hand, such as by giving a much-
needed ride to either a store or to the
market.
Following the war, despite his difficult
circumstances, his entire energy and focus
were devoted to moving forward in his
efforts to establish a new life for both him-
self and his family. He was able to count
as among his blessings, his beautiful,
loving wife of 65 years, his kids and his
grandchildren, along with many wonder-
ful friends, with whom he shared decades-
long relationships.
48 July 19 • 2012
"Some of them said there will never be
his siblings through school. He never
another Vic Lawson when I told them the
stopped giving and helping people with-
news. They said he was from another era." out expecting anything in return. Most
Larry told of a time when one of his
of us had no idea how much he did for
friends came with Larry and his father on others; he never said anything about it,
a "run" to businesses so he could sell his
but people he helped would come up to
brushes and rollers. "For the past year, he
us and ask us, 'Do you know what your
wasn't driving so family members would
father did for us?"'
take him to stores all over the area:' he
said, "and by the end of the day my dad
Continued To Work
was up front talking about the
When Mr. Lawson was in
Tigers while my friend who's
the hospital the Saturday
in his mid-50s was asleep in
before he passed, he asked
the backseat. He always had
Larry to take an order for
such a tremendous amount of
him.
energy"
"The gentleman I need-
The Tigers were a big pas-
ed to speak with wasn't
sion of Mr. Lawson, and his
there at the time, and he
family had a tradition of
called back on Monday
taking him to a game once a
just hours after my dad
year either on his birthday or
passed," he said. "I took
Father's Day. "For the past two
the order from him, which
years, it got to be too much
my dad had asked me to
with all the walking, but he
do; and then the gentle-
Victor Law son
watched every game on T"
man came up from Ohio
Larry said. Tigers slugger
for the funeral, and we
Hank Greenberg was his all-time favorite
completed the order then. It was his last
player.
one."
"It's such a loss for the whole fam-
Generous Spirit
ily; he was such a wonderful presence
Mr. Lawson had a generous spirit, and he
and he will be missed immensely," said
gave to many Jewish charities in addition
Larry.
to helping anyone who needed it. "He
Mr. Lawson's granddaughter Rabbi
believed in tzedakah," said Larry.
Rachel Shere of Adat Shalom Synagogue
"When he got his first job as a teen-
in Farmington Hills gave the eulogy at his
ager, he used that money to help put
funeral.
As a husband, father and friend, he was
a man of honesty and integrity. He worked
tirelessly to provide a financially stable
household for his family and a loving
home. His legacy lives on in all those that
survived his passing.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Eva;
his sons, Kenneth of Newport Beach,
Calif., and Robert (Marianna) of Santa
Monica, Calif; and his grandchildren,
Tiffany Ackermann and Alec Ackermann.
SHIRLEY ADLER, 92,
of West Hills, Calif., for-
merly of Oak Park, died
June 20, 2012.
She was the devoted
wife of the late David
Adler.
Mrs. Adler is survived
Adler
by her five children,
Janet and Lee Karson,
Rochelle and Jeffrey Fishman, Stephen and
Yvette Adler, Marsha Warnick, and Elissa
and Bruce Fishman. She was the loving
Bubbie of 13 grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
Shirley Adler leaves a legacy of
Obituaries
Yiddishkeit and love of family and will
be deeply and forever missed by all who
knew her.
Interment took place at Groman
Cemetery, Mission Hills, Calif., where she
now rests next to her beshert.
Contributions may be made to a charity
of one's choice.
CLIFFORD COHEN, 63,
of West Bloomfield, died
July 10, 2012.
He is survived by
his former wife and
devoted friend, Diana
Cohen; loving children,
Brianna Cohen of West
Cohen
Bloomfield, Jake Cohen
of West Bloomfield, Alexa Cohen of West
Bloomfield; brother, Steve Cohen of Los
Angeles, Calif.; sister and brother-in-law,
Andrea and Don Bastian of Allentown, Pa.
He was the loving son of the late Jack
and the late Freda Cohen.
An educational trust is being set up
for the Cohen children. Interment was at
Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
Mr. Lawson is survived by his chil-
dren, Dr. Noel and Judith Lawson of
Bloomfield Hills, Deanna and Dr. Allan
Pincus of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.,
Dr. Larry Lawson and his fiancee Myra
Greenwald of West Bloomfield, and
Minde Lawson and Dr. Jackie Lewis of
West Bloomfield; sister, Pearl Baum of
West Bloomfield; grandchildren, Dr.
David and Ellen Lawson, Dr. Audrey
and Scott Kaufman, Miriam and Leo
L'Homme, Jonathan and Andrea Pincus,
Rabbi Rachel and Daniel Shere, Jeff and
Dr. Erica Lawson; great-grandchildren,
Samuel, Jonathan and Lisa Lawson,
Aaron, Courtney, Dalia and Adam
Kaufman, Shayna L'Homme, Michael
Pincus, Eitan, Avi and Ezra Shere, and
Micah Lawson. Mr. Lawson is also sur-
vived by his loving companion, Arline
Sallen, and many loving nieces, neph-
ews, cousins, friends and customers.
He was the beloved husband of the late
Mayme Lawson; the cherished brother
of the late Jack Lawson, the late Bette
Goldman and the late Al Lawson; the
devoted son of the late Isaac and the late
Rachel Lawson.
Interment was at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Contributions may be
made to Hillel Day School, Mayme and
Victor Lawson Scholarship Fund, 32200
Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, MI
48334, www.hillelday.org; or a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel. 0
MARILYN RUTH DWORIN, 70, of
Walled Lake, died July 11, 2012.
She is survived by her husband,
Dennis Dworin; daughters and son-
in-law, Jennifer Solberg of White Lake,
and Michelle and Joseph Gustavus of
Rochester Hills; sons and daughter-in-
law, Erik Dworin of Madison Heights,
and Jay and Maureen Dworin of
Pennsylvania; grandchildren, Zachary
Solberg, Connor and Braeden Gustavus,
and Hannah Sophia Dworin; sister, Elaine
Rubinstein of Oak Park; brother-in-law,
Arthur Dworin; nieces, nephews and
friends.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
Park Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
5005 LBJ Fwy., Suite 250, Dallas, TX
75244, www.komen.org ; or Make-A-Wish
Foundation of Michigan, 230 Huron View
Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103, www.wish-
mich.org . Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
EDITH FRIDENBERG, 88, of West
Bloomfield, died July 14, 2012.
She is survived by her son and daugh-