metro
'A Class Act'
Jewish News mourns the loss of a longtime reporter.
Harry Kirsbaum
Contributing Writer
W
hen Bill Carroll ended his
long, successful career as a
public relations troubleshoot-
er for Ford Motor Co. in 1998, he wasn't
quite ready to retire to the golf course.
Instead, he began a part-time, 14-year
writing career with his beloved Detroit
Jewish News.
Business stories, political stories, arts
and entertainment stories, obituaries —
you name it — Bill could deliver a perfect
piece, on time and on the money.
"Bill was a tenacious journalist — a
colleague, a friend, a mentor in a way,"
said Robert Sklar, former JN editor and
current contributing editor.
"He was curious, engaging, thoughtful,
searching — and he knew his way around
the community. He wouldn't back down
or away from a tough story, tackling them
with confidence, but also displaying great
sensitivity to make sure he got it just
right.
"He was a giant in the annals of
Michigan journalism — and an enduring
mentsh."
Bill was a longtime active member
of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield, one of its inner circle. Because
of his affection for Rabbi Groner and
Shaarey Zedek, Bill had worked with the
Jewish News to compile the rabbi's inspir-
ing life story.
Rabbi Groner died on Dec. 30. At the
same time Bill was gravely ill, the victim
of a sudden, voracious leukemia. Bill died
a day later. The rabbi's story appeared on
page 1 of the Jewish News on Jan. 3, the
day of Bill's funeral. Though ironic, it is a
tribute to a great journalist to have a cov-
er-story byline on the day he is buried.
"We're completely crushed here:' said
David Sachs, JN senior copy editor. "His
death was so unexpected; it's such a big
loss. We were still sending him writing
assignments.
"We'll miss his deep voice, his sarcastic
humor and his profound wisdom."
A Proud Jew
Belden "Bill" Carroll, 80, of West
Bloomfield died Dec. 31, 2012.
Born in 1932 in Hartford, Conn., his
mother died shortly after his birth, and
his father gave him up for adoption to
an aunt when he was 4 years old. He was
lovingly raised by this kind family, who
moved to Detroit when Bill was 9.
20 January 10 • 2013
JN
Bill encountered anti-Semitism when
Zedek events and did stand-up routines
for the elderly.
he was the first Jew on his block in
Longtime friend Doreen Hermelin
Northwest Detroit, said Rabbi Joseph H.
Krakoff of Shaarey Zedek, "but he never
called him a "real sweetheart" and said
wavered. Judaism was a central
Bill and her husband, the late
David Hermelin, performed
part of his identity every single
day. He went on to become
many shows together.
a prominent and revered lay
"David always had to edit
voice at Shaarey Zedek for
Bill's remarks because some-
countless years."
times he would get a little bit
Bill attended Central High
too raw. He was such a clever
School in Detroit, and then
man, a wonderful writer and
Wayne State, where he majored
a sweet person."
in journalism and where
Eugene Applebaum,
founder
of the former Arbor
he met his wife of 58 years,
Bill Carr oll
Natalie. They married in 1954
Drug chain, now part of
and raised three children.
CVS, was Bill's neighbor in Southfield.
Bill worked as a journalist at the Daily
When he opened a small drugstore in
Tribune in Royal Oak and did other odd
Detroit on the corner of Greenfield and
Michigan in 1963, Bill would visit him.
jobs to make ends meet. In 1962, he
started a 36-year career at Ford Motor
"He was a very quiet, sensitive guy,"
Company.
said Applebaum.
He worked in public relations and
Years later, "when he interviewed me,
excelled at managing crises. He was on
he tried to get the best interview, from a
the front lines, handling the Ford Pinto
positive force rather than a negative."
gas tank explosions, the Wixom Plant
'Volunteer Of The Year'
shooting and all the changes in Ford
Carol Rosenberg, director of the Jewish
stock valuations.
Senior Life Foundation, said Bill and
Maury Feuerman, a Mercury dealer
from 1978-2005, knew him well.
Natalie volunteered at Fleischman
"He had a lot of interaction with the
Residence in West Bloomfield, where
dealers and the factory," he said. "Here's a
Bill would do stand-up comedy for the
guy who had longevity. He had a number
residents.
of managers and a lot of senior manage-
"He never said 'no' to anything we had
ment changeover in the company through ever asked of him," Rosenberg said. "He
was really a prince among us. He was
the years, and yet he was able to protect
them from themselves. He had a very dry honored as the Volunteer of the Year
wit and a great sense of humor."
twice. There will never be another one
like him."
Karen Davidson, family friend and wife
'Entertainer At Heart'
Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman
of the late Bill Davidson, said, "Bill was
of Rock Financial and Quicken Loans,
a man of good, good humor. I knew him
lived across the street from the Carrolls
in the context of his work with the Jewish
in Southfield and was best friends with
News, but I feel like I got to know him as
son David. He has known the family well
well as he got to know me.
since he was 4.
"He was also interested in any NBA
"Bill Carroll was a class act in all
[National Basketball Association] news
aspects of his life:' Gilbert said. "He was
I could give him; he had followed the
a curious and talented journalist and also
team since Bill had bought the Pistons,"
an entertainer at heart. He was a loyal
she said. "I always felt like I better be
friend. But, above all, he was a great hus-
prepared with something he hadn't heard
regarding the team:'
band, father and grandfather:'
Bill was a fan of the Tigers and Lions,
Son David Carroll said his father loved
stand-up comedy, especially some of the
too.
Son David called him a great father
Jewish comedians like Don Rickles and
Jackie Mason.
who went to every Little League game
"He would always take a pen and paper and dance recital. "He was as much a
into comedy clubs and surreptitiously
friend as a father," he said. And he treated
write down the jokes he liked," David
his grandchildren the same way.
said.
"To his grandchildren, he was king,"
said grandson Eli Boyer. "Not the kind
Bill wrote comedy bits for Shaarey
of self-interested king who ruled with an
iron fist. He was one who would do any-
thing for us to make sure that our lives
were better, brighter and happier every
day."
David said, "He was a great role model,
instilled great moral values and taught
us how to treat other people and do the
right thing. He offered friendship to us."
And Bill's marriage to Natalie was a
model of perfection.
"They had Monday night family din-
ners, watched Tigers games, rented mov-
ies, went to shows," David said. "They
bickered with each other, they took care
of each other, and they adored each other.
It was just a great marriage and a perfect
role model for what a marriage should
be like."
Bill loved show business and loved
Broadway musicals. He saw hundreds of
live shows, but his favorite show of all
time was Guys and Dolls, said David.
"We brought Guys and Dolls music
into the hospital room the last few days,"
David said.
It led to some relatives doing an
impromptu dance routine in the room
next to Bill's bed just hours before he
died.
"If there's one thing that we can learn
from my father's passing, it's that life can
be short, good health can be fleeting, and
it's important to enjoy life now doing the
things that you like with the people you
love," said David.
Bill Carroll is survived by his wife,
Natalie Carroll; daughters and sons-
in-law, Debbie and Larry Friedman of
Grayling, Lisa and Scott Behrmann of
Farmington Hills; son and daughter-
in-law, David and Michelle Carroll of
West Bloomfield; grandchildren, Eli
and Kimmy Boyer, Carli Boyer, Erik
Behrmann, Jenna Behrmann and Lauren
Carroll; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-
law, Ira Samuels and Maggie Glogower,
and Dennis and Marilyn Greenstein;
many loving nieces and nephews.
Bill was the dear brother-in-law of the
late Diane Greenstein.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of
Michigan, 1471 E. 12 Mile, Madison
Heights, MI 48071, www.11s.org/aboutlls/
chapter/mi; or Jewish Senior Life of
Metropolitan Detroit, 6710 W. Maple
Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, www.
jslmi.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel. ❑