obituaries

A Passionate Life

Ronelle Grier
Contributing Writer

B

everly Wepman Apel had a fierce
passion for Israel, Hadassah and,
most of all, her family. She gave
back to her community, and she believed
that time spent together was the most
precious gift of all. Mrs. Apel, who lived
in West Bloomfield with her husband,
Fred Apel, died unexpectedly on Oct. 14.
She was 70.
Mrs. Apel grew up with her younger
brother, Lloyd, in the small farming town
of Lowell, outside of Grand Rapids, where
they were the only Jewish family. -After
her father died when she was 8 years old,
her mother took over the family busi-
ness, a clothing and shoe store. Although
they were the only Jewish family in town,
Judaism was important; Mrs. Apel and
her brother attended Hebrew school in
Grand Rapids.
"Her childhood had a big impact on
the woman she became," said Mrs. Apel's
daughter, Gayle Friedman Gold, who
spoke at the funeral service. "My mom
had a passion for Israel and a love for
everything Jewish. She was a dedicated
Zionist, past president of Hadassah; and

Frankel

REMA S. FRANKEL,
100, of Bloomfield
Hills died Oct. 15,
2012.
She passed away four
days after reaching her
goal of turning 100.
She was on dialysis for
eight years and never

complained.
Mrs. Frankel volunteered at the
Detroit Institute of Arts for 27 years.
She was extremely competitive at card
games and played bridge until earlier
this year. She enjoyed snow skiing with
her husband, Ivan, until she turned 80.
She loved the arts and was a patron at
the Michigan Opera Theatre, Detroit
Symphony Orchestra and Detroit
Institute of Arts.
Mrs. Frankel is survived by her
daughter, Marjorie Riley of Burlington,
Vt.; grandchildren, Blake (Joana) Gavin
and Nicole Gavin; great-grandson, Jacob
Gavin; sisters and brothers-in-law,
Barbara Frankel and Ronald Michalak,
Ann Raskin, Herman and Sharon
Frankel, Bette Borin; countless nieces,
nephews and friends.
She was the wife of the late Ivan
Frankel; mother of the late James
Frankel; sister of the late Bud Schulist
and the late Jone Schultz.

she advocated for Israel on a daily basis:'
Mrs. Apel was a third-grade teacher at
Hillel Day School for 11 years; she also
taught at Kennedy Elementary School.
Gold was touched by the many con-
dolence letters she received from her
mother's former Hillel students, com-
memorating Mrs. Apel for touching their
lives with her kindness,
patience and enthusi-
asm. Students remem-
bered how Mrs. Apel
helped them believe in
themselves, always tak-
ing time to listen and
offer encouragement.
"My mom cared deep-
ly about her students,
being a teacher wasn't
work... it was who she
was," said Gold.
Several of Gold's
Beverly Apel
childhood friends
came from out of town
to attend the funeral,
remembering the frequent play dates
and sleepovers where Mrs. Apel always
made them feel like part of the family.
She showed the same caring and hospi-
tality when Gold attended University of
Michigan, encouraging her to invite her

Contributions may be made to the
Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan
Opera Theatre or to a charity of one's
choice. Private services were held.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

SAUL FIRSTEN, 87, of
West Bloomfield, died
Oct. 17, 2012.
He is survived by
his beloved wife,
Rita Firsten of West
Bloomfield; sons and
daughters-in-law,
Firsten
Stuart and Debbie
Firsten of West Bloomfield, Rob and
Cindy Firsten of Bloomfield Hills;
brother, Morley Firsten of Toronto,
Canada; grandchildren, Adam, Matthew,
Ali and Michael; many loving nieces,
nephews, other family members and
friends.
Mr. Firsten was the beloved husband
of the late Adele Firsten; brother of the
late Theresa Lavine; brother-in-law of
the late Annette Firsten.
Contributions may be made to
Angela Hospice or the Alzheimer's
Association. Interment took place at
Clover Hill Cemetery in Birmingham.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

invited out-of-state friends for Jewish
holidays.
"My mother was elegant, poised and
beautiful inside and out; but she was also
a lot of fun," said Gold.
Gold and her mother shared a close
relationship, talking on the phone every
morning and evening, and several times
in between.
"When I was in my early
20s, I found this to be a bit
overbearing," said Gold,
"but as I got older, I began
to get it... and even appre-
ciate it. The calls weren't so
much to check up on me,
but rather to maintain the
close, intimate bond we
had built."
Gold described Fred,
Mrs. Apel's husband of 19
years, as the love of her
mother's life, her knight in
shining armor. She reveled
in her role as "Bubbie."
Gold's children, Maddie and Jackson,
were her pride and joy. She loved Fred's
children as her own.
Mrs. Apel was a past president of
Hadassah, Greater Detroit Chapter and a
founding member of Temple Shir Shalom

in West Bloomfield. In his eulogy, Rabbi
Dannel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom
described Mrs. Apel as having a timeless
quality; she was a classic beauty with a
self-possessed calm that was often super-
seded by her passion and relentless inten-
sity when it came to Israel, Hadassah, the
United States and the people she loved.
Mrs. Apel is survived by her beloved
husband, Fred Apel; her cherished daugh-
ter Gayle Friedman (Lorne) Gold; Fred's
children, Marcy Apel (Steven) Rowe,
Susan Apel (Robert) Roberts and Donald
(Lynn) Apel; grandchildren, Maddie Gold,
Jackson Gold, Julia Rowe and fiance Julian
Portillo, Alan Rowe, Jake Roberts, Dirk
Roberts, Caryn Roberts, Joshua Apel, C.J.
Apel and Jillian Apel; dear brother, Lloyd
(Judy) Wepman.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
Park Cemetery. Contributions may
be made to Hadassah, Greater Detroit
Chapter, 5030 Orchard Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, Michigan, 48323, www.
detroit.hadassah.org; Michigan State
University College of Education, 620
Farm Lane, Room 513, East Lansing, MI.,
48824; or American Heart Association,
P.O. Box 15120, Chicago, Ill., 60693, www.
americanheart.org . Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

JACK D. FROMM, 86, of Atlanta, Ga.,
formerly of Michigan, died Oct. 15,
2012, from complications associated
with cancer.
He was born in Battle Creek on
Nov. 27, 1925, to Edith and Abraham
Fineberg, who changed their name to
Fromm in 1938. Jack was immensely
proud of his Jewish heritage, and he
held that connection throughout his
life. He spent his formative years in
Huntington Woods, graduating from
Royal Oak High School prior to serving
in the Army. The experience of war and
early loss of his parents affected him
deeply, forming his values.
He was a sensitive man who strived
to do well and care for others. His first
marriage to Mary Brown (Frank) gave
him his three children (John, Elizabeth
and Amy). They knew him as a fun-
loving, devoted father with passions for
politics, cartooning, golf and the written
word. His work as a building contractor
kept him tanned and fit, a vision that
defined his appearance throughout his
life. His positive outlook and apprecia-
tion for life made him a man with a
complete absence of malice and a true
lover of life.
Mr. Fromm's memory will live on in
the many people he touched, both with
his charming wit and his voracious

appetite for putting thought to word.
Mr. Fromm is survived by his beloved
wife, Ruth; children, John Fromm,
Elizabeth Ross (Michael), Amy Rosenblatt
(Allan); Ruth's children, Dee Stikeman
(Jim) and David Duncan (Judi); grand-
children, Matthew and Emily Ross,
Rachel Rosenblatt Solomon (Daniel) and
Laura Rosenblatt, Amanda and Elizabeth
Stikeman, and Shane Duncan; brother,
Tom Fromm; two nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests
that you hug loved ones and take a
moment to express the value they bring
to your life. Contributions may be made
to the American Cancer Society.

Obituaries

NEAL FUTERNICK, 81, of Huntington
Woods, died Oct. 13, 2012.
He is survived by his brothers and sis-
ter-in-law, Sheldon and Julie Futernick
of Las Vegas, Nev., Stanley Futernick
of Huntington Woods; niece, Karen
Futernick of Huntington Woods; many
loving nieces, nephews, other family
members and friends.
Contributions may be made to the
American Heart Association or to a
charity of one's choice. Interment took
place at the Beth Abraham Cemetery in
Ferndale. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

Obituaries on page 102

October 25 m 2012

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