Beautifying your home since 1939 yam. HAGOPIAN RUG CLEANING Fall Sale IN-HOME CLEANING 4ROOMS $9999 21RCOMS $5 Bill's Dreams from page 11 "I admire Karen for many reasons, but mainly because she is completely devoted to Bill's memory." — Mary Petrovich, West Bloomfield $5 ORZCHAIRS • Whether you have 2, 4, 6 or 3" . 7 42FA. even 20 rugs, bring them to us some restrictions apply & we'll clean every other one FREE! Let us clean your tile & grout too! 1-600-14Asopw, Ask about our expert rug repair! 1 -80U-MilligUrIMI (424-6742) www.originalhagopiamcom RUG CARE CENTERS AND SHOWROOMS OAK PARK BIRMINGHAM NO VI UTICA • ANN ARBOR Turn your old GOLD into CASH! We will buy ALL of your precious metals, diamonds & watches. Converted To Judaism Karen and Bill met on a blind date and were married by a judge. It was his fourth marriage. She converted to Judaism afterward. "I am a Jew by choice she said. She held a Torah on the bimah at the start of Kol Nidre services at Shaarey Zedek two weeks ago. Married for 14 years, they traveled extensively and spent a lot of time at a huge vacation home in Snowmass, Colo. "It was fun to travel with him because he was recognized in many parts of the world; people would stop by our restaurant table and ask him for an autograph:" Despite the flurry of activity on her many business and philanthropic endeavors, Karen enjoys labeling her- self as "just a housewife." "People sort of look surprised and chuckle when I say that at meetings, but it's true she said. She has three children, two step- children, four grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, a house here, the house in Snowmass and a New York City apartment. One of Ethan's sons, William Zev Davidson, is named after Bill. *Devoted To Bill's Memory' (At 14 Mile Rd. in the Broadway Plaza)-, Daniel Stylist • Colorist (Formerly of Lance Vincent Salon) Has moved to: 6652 Telegraph (at Maple) Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 (248)626-3700 12 October 11 ' 2012 "I admire Karen for many reasons, but mainly because she is completely devoted to Bill's memory," said Mary Petrovich of West Bloomfield, who is Karen's golfing partner at Franklin Hills Country Club. They met while making philanthropic arrangements for their respective families at U-M. Petrovich is an adviser to the Carlyle Group, a nationally known private equity firm. "Karen is the most humble, least pretentious, intelligent, down-to- earth person I've ever met; she's just a smart, engaging woman with strong Midwestern values," Petrovich said. Adds another friend, Judi Schram of Bloomfield Hills: "Among other things, I admire Karen for her insatiable appetite for information, her breadth of knowledge, and for her continued interest in and commitment to the many things she came to appreciate through Bill." Karen spends most of the summer at the Snowmass estate, which has 10,000 square feet of space and eight bedrooms on 10 acres. "The place has everything but a post office she said with a smile. "It's especially fun to be there in August when many celebri- ties and philanthropists arrive to hang out. Our relatives and friends are in the house all of the time. One night, 22 people slept over; we couldn't find one kid for quite a while." *Flunks' As Pistons Owner Karen grimaces when the conversa- tion turns to basketball. Bill bought the Pistons for $6 million in 1974, and his succession plan made her the owner when he died. "I give myself the grade of 'F' as an owner;' she admitted. What would Bill have thought of the team's poor record, coaching changes and other travails after his death? "He always had a lot of patience, especially in bad times," Karen answered. "But, after all, I was spending around $79 million in one year to run the team, with players' salaries, staff and so forth. And some players weren't even breaking a sweat during a game. The fans know who they are." Karen says the interesting part of being an owner was attending NBA owners meetings "with 29 billionaires in the same room, who really didn't want to be there; they were always talking on the phone about their other businesses," she recalled. Retaining a partial financial interest in the Pistons, she sold the team and the entire Palace Sports Entertainment empire for a reported $340 million to yet another billionaire for the NBA, Tom Gores ($2.5 billion), chairman of Platinum Equity in California. He's a Palestinian, born in Israel, but came to Michigan as a youngster. Karen became aware later of allega- tions that some Gores family mem- bers reportedly had made anti-Israel and pro-Hamas remarks, but "Tom was a pleasure to deal with," she stressed. "He's energetic, determined and is dedicated to the team. And he'll be making some changes. He's a 'bottom- line' guy who wants quick results." With a new basketball season get- ting under way soon, she'll be back in the familiar seats she and Bill shared at the Palace; under the basket near the Pistons bench.