obituaries

'Wonder Woman'

Ronelle Grier

Contributing Writer

T

o her family and close friends,
Patti Nemer was known as
"Wonder Woman" She was
a devoted mother, a loyal friend and a
driving force in her community, devot-
ing boundless time and energy to the
organizations and causes she so fervently
championed.
Patti Nemer, 54, died on May 7, 2013,
after a seven-year battle with cancer.
Of the many accomplishments and
activities in her personal, business and
volunteer life, she was proudest of her
two sons, Michael Baum, 23, and Stuart
Baum, 15. She strove to imbue them
with her positive attitude and determi-
nation to make the most of life, no mat-
ter what the challenges.
"Mom never wanted a 'pity party'
— she surrounded herself with people
that only exuded the positivity that she
was trying to impart onto others," said
Michael, who spoke at his mother's
funeral at Ira Kaufman Chapel in
Southfield. The service was officiated
by Rabbis Joseph Krakoff and Aaron
Starr, Cantor Meir Finkelstein and
Assistant Cantor Leonard Gutman, all
of Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
"If there is anything that you can do
today to honor her memory it would be
to treat every day as a celebration," said
Michael.

1

Patti grew up in Detroit with her
two older siblings, Ellen (Maiseloff)
and Larry, and their parents, Milford
"Mickey" and Ilene Nemer. She attend-
ed Brandeis University in Waltham,
Mass., and the University of Michigan
to become a third-generation certified
public accountant (CPA) with a master's
in taxation. In addition to
working 18 years along-
side her father and broth-
er in the family business,
Nemer Property Group,
she used her impressive
accounting skills to create
financial statements and
presentations for several
community organizations.
Although she had a
keenly analytical mind,
Patti did not fit the ste-
Patti Nemer
reotypical image of the
staid accountant. She
loved offbeat accessories and had a
legendary wardrobe of colorful glasses.
The fashion statement that most
expressed her individuality was her
three tattoos: a Chai symbol, Wonder
Woman and a bluebird with a ribbon
emblazoned with the names of her sons.
"The tattoos revealed her bravado
and willingness to be different," wrote
her brother Larry for the eulogy deliv-
ered by Rabbi Krakoff. "She only talked
of plans for recovery, never the possibil-
ity of defeat. She searched for any and

every silver lining:'
Patti's positive attitude was best
reflected in the organization she helped
found, Cancer Thrivers Network for
Jewish Women. The group philosophy,
which she embodied, was that those
fighting cancer should thrive, not merely
survive. Under the leadership of Patti
and co-founders, Sandy
Schwartz and Michelle
Passon, the group provided
support, social activities
and numerous educational
programs about important
cancer-related issues such as
genetic testing.

Efforts Honored

Patti's devotion to this
organization earned her the
National Council of Jewish
Women's Women of Vision
Award in 2012.
Patti and her mother became found-
ing members and trustees of the
Jewish Women's Foundation (JWF) of
Metropolitan Detroit, a philanthropic
organization that provides grants for
programs to benefit women and girls
locally and in Israel.
"Patti lived with breast cancer for
seven years and went through a great
deal in her valiant effort to live for her
boys and all of the things she loved,"
said Helen Katz, JWF director, in an
email to the trustees. "Patti was instru-

mental to the development of the JWF.
Her fingerprints are on everything we do:'
Patti also generously shared her
accounting skills with programs such
as Bookstock and served on the Jewish
Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Noted her brother, "Patti was able to
make significant contributions to sev-
eral organizations, working closely with
other people who were totally unaware
that she was receiving chemotherapy on
a continuous basis for seven years —
and who were, therefore, surprised to
learn of her passing"
Patti Nemer is survived by her sons,
Michael Baum and Stuart Baum; par-
ents, Ilene Nemer and Milford (Barbara)
Nemer; sister, Ellen (David) Maiseloff;
brother, Larry (Rosalind) Nemer; nieces
and nephews, Jennifer, Stephen and Alyssa
Maiseloff, and Drew and Daniel Nemer;
and former husband, Howard Baum.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish
Women, 6600 W. Maple Road, West
Bloomfield, MI 48322, (248) 432-5467,
http://tinyurl.com/btgs7lf; Jewish
Women's Foundation, 6735 Telegraph
Road, P.O. Box 2030, Bloomfield Hills,
MI 48303-2030, (248) 203-1483, www.
jewishdetroit.org/jwf; or Congregation
Shaarey Zedek, 27375 Bell Road,
Southfield, MI 48034, (248) 357-5544,
www.shaareyzedek.org . Arrangements
were by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

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Remembering 'Mr. B'

Robin Schwartz

Contributing Writer

H

arry Berkowitz, 72, of Franklin
was a one-of-a kind elementary
teacher whose unusual meth-
ods live on in the memories of thou-
sands of former students.
Rebecca Abramson, 32, of Berkley was
a third grader in "Mr. B's" 1989-1990
class at the now-closed Walnut Lake
Elementary School in Birmingham. She
describes Mr. Berkowitz as a tough, lov-
ing and eccentric educator.
"Our classroom was different from
everybody else's," she recalls. "During
the school year, Mr. B did away with tra-
ditional desks and put in large high tops.
Four of us sat at each table (two on each
side) and we had black leather swivel
chairs. He wanted to create a more inter-
active atmosphere"
Abramson also remembers her class
had computers when no one else did.
There was a class bunny, students
often wrote with fountain pens and

56 May 16 • 2013

JN

Mr. Berkowitz required them to learn
Royal Oak police surrounded the house
French. Other former students describe
for hours until discovering his body.
him as transformative, innovative and
The relationship between the two men
is unclear; the motive for the killing is
ahead of his time. When Abramson's
sister, Kate, 24, of Bloomfield Township
not known. Franklin-Bingham Farms
failed to turn in an assignment one day,
Police Chief Daniel Roberts called the
Mr. Berkowitz made her call her mother
case "a variation on a domestic com-
plaint:' The murder remains
in front of the whole class.
She never missed an assign-
under investigation.
ment again.
Abramson, who works as
"He's one of those teachers
a news producer at a local
you never forget:' she said.
television station, learned
Mr. Berkowitz worked
about the killing as part of
in the Birmingham Public
her job.
Schools for nearly 47 years,
"Every day I come to
most recently as a reading
work and write about trag-
support teacher at West
edies, but you never expect
Harry Berk owitz
Maple Elementary School.
it to be someone you know:'
He also taught at Marygrove
she said. "It's sad that a man
College in Detroit for 12 years.
who had such a love for educating young
Police say Mr. Berkowitz, 72, was
minds would lose his life in such a vio-
murdered May 7, 2013, at his home on
lent way:'
Charles Lane in Franklin, shot multiple
West Maple Elementary School closed
times by his roommate, Thomas Ian
early so students and staff members
Matthews. The 33-year-old fled to a house could attend the funeral Monday at
Hebrew Memorial Chapel in Oak Park.
in Royal Oak, where he took his own life.

Obituaries

Grief counselors were also available for
anyone who needed them.
At the funeral, fellow teachers praised
Mr. Berkowitz's dedication to his profes-
sion and his innovative style, and how
he utilized the most effective methods
of teaching children — from puppets to
computers.
Rabbi Steven Rubenstein of
Congregation Beth Ahm in West
Bloomfield officiated at the funeral.
He told the JN, "In spite of Harry's
tragic death, we can all take heart of the
tremendous impact his life had on so
many people in our community:'
Harry Berkowitz was laid to rest
at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. He is survived by his sister,
Gloria Novak. He lived with his mother,
Rose Lambertz, until she passed away in
2003.
Those wishing to make a contri-
bution in Berkowitz's memory are
asked to select a charity of their
choice. Arrangements were by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

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