obituaries
Making An Impact
A
lice Ross, 98, of Southfield, died
Nov. 27, 2014.
She dreamed of going to New
York as a fashion reporter when she entered
Wayne University in 1934. She could
write, having been the news editor on the
Southeastern High newspaper
and a feature writer for the
Wayne Collegian. She had a
strong sense of style, design-
ing her own clothes as a teen-
ager. She particularly liked the
flapper styles of the '20s.
However, the practical pres-
sures of the Great Depression
intervened and Alice decided Alice Ross
to pursue her style interests
as a home economics teacher
in the Detroit Public Schools
and to continue to design and sew her own
clothes throughout her life.
Alice was born in 1916 in Detroit to
Marcus and Ida Ronis. She had four young-
er brothers and sisters, Helen, Ben, David
and Faye. While completing her B.S. degree
at Wayne, she met Victor Ross, a recent
immigrant from Bulgaria who was studying
comparative literature. They fell in love and
got married in 1940.
She greatly enjoyed being a mother and
LARRY S. BERMAN, 74,
of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,
died Nov. 22, 2014.
He is survived by his
children, Dana Berman,
Nicholas Berman, and
Terri and Jerry Chapman;
grandchildren, Michael
Berman
Hords, Kyle Hords,
Andrew Hords, Jacob
Chapman, Alec Chapman
and Ryan Chapman; sisters, Shelly Berman
Cluck and Barbara Kelly.
Mr. Berman was the dear brother-in-law
of the late Thomas Cluck.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to the Michigan
Humane Society, Development Dept., 30300
Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms,
MI 48025-4507, (248) 283-1000, www.
michiganhumane.org; CATCH, 3011 W.
Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48202, (313) 876-
9399, www.catchcharity.org ; or a charity of
one's choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
MORRIS "TOBY" BREUER, 84, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 28, 2014.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 52
years, Naomi Breuer; son and daughter-in-
law, Gary and Lynn Breuer of Farmington
Hills; daughter and son-in-law, Julie and
Howard Harris of Pine Brook, N.J.; brother
left teaching to stay at home after Douglas
was born in 1942, followed by Laura in 1945
and Robert in 1949. Her children always
boasted the best Halloween costumes in
their classes, given her creative talents. She
was fanatical about providing nutritious
meals for her family; dinner
always featured all the recom-
mended food groups of the
day, whether her kids really
relished having a green and
yellow at every meal.
She always made sure her
children had all the dance and
music lessons they wanted,
even when she and Victor
could not quite afford them.
As her children grew up,
Alice looked for ways to have
an impact beyond her family. She was an
ardent Zionist and became very active in the
Pioneer Women, later known as Na'amat.
She held numerous offices in the organiza-
tion, including president and edited the
newsletter well into her 80s. She and Victor
were active in AIPAC. She was a great
admirer of Rabbi Sherwin Wine and spent
many years as a member of Birmingham
Temple in Farmington Hills.
Into her 90s, she contributed financially
to a whole range of Jewish causes as well
as gun control and environmental initia-
tives and continued to receive at least 50
contribution solicitations each month in
the mail to the end, the sign of a life gener-
ously lived. Like her husband's, her politics
always reflected her sense of social justice,
not her pocketbook. She always rooted for
the underdog.
She and Victor were inseparable during
their 70 years of marriage, always doing
everything together. Whether at the sym-
phony or a Jewish community fundraiser,
they were always well dressed and dignified.
She was a great dancer and loved ball-
room dancing. Sadly, Victor shared neither
her talent nor passion for it. However, he
was a good sport and they took night-school
dance lessons at Mumford High School for
years. They could literally dance through
an entire B'nai B'rith dinner or bar mitzvah
without repeating a samba or mambo or
waltz step, so extensive was their repertoire.
Alice enjoyed giving dinner parties for their
friends, of whom there were many. She
and Victor traveled regularly to Israel and
Europe.
Alice enjoyed her relationship with her
grandchildren, Mitchell (Elizabeth) Rose,
Doug (Jelena) Rose, Julie (Mathew) Josephs,
Gabrielle (Kyle) Stoner, and Jordan (Robyn)
Robert; and her great-grandchildren, Leo,
Tobias, Miriam Rose, Jocelyn and Lucinda
Josephs, Anne and Henry Roberts, and
Maelyn Stoner. Her grandchildren reported
her Depression-shaped wit when she ranted
against the innovation of bottled water
("why not just take it from the tap"), and her
suggestion to Mitchell that, instead of going
to Egypt to study Arabic, he learn it less
expensively in Dearborn.
She remained upbeat and elegant right up
to the end, still dancing whenever the music
and opportunity were present. She was a
bright, interested, active, kind and attractive
woman, who will be sorely missed by her
children, grandchildren and all who knew
and loved her.
Mrs. Ross is survived by her son, Douglas
(Karol) Ross; daughter, Laura (James)
Sherman; and her son, Robert; her sister,
Fay (the late Louis) Starr; sister-in-law,
Barbara Ronis. She was the sister-in-law of
the late Bella Ross, the late Ben Ronis, the
late David Ronis and the late Helen Ronis.
Interment was at Hebrew Memorial Park.
Contributions may be directed to Na'amat
USA, 505 8th Ave., Suite 2302, New York,
NY 10018, www.naamat.org. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
and sister-in-law, Richard and Phyllis Breuer
of Commerce Township; grandchildren,
Joshua Breuer, Rachel Breuer, Hailee Harris,
Jessica Harris; many loving nieces, nephews,
other family members and friends.
Mr. Breuer was the brother of the late
Emily (Eli) Cutler.
Contributions may be made to the
American Diabetes Association or to the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Interment
took place at the B'nai Israel Cemetery in
Novi. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025; or
Gilda's Club, 3517 Rochester Road, Royal
Oak, MI 48073. Services and interment
were held at Hebrew Memorial Park.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
Feldman; her grandchildren, Hannah Rose,
Noah Ari and Seth Aaron Feldman; chil-
dren of lifelong friends the Zwicks, Marty
(Lawrie), Hugh (Katie) Zwick, and Lori
(Kevin) Miller; invaluable and nurturing
caregivers, Audrey Beasley, Kaila Beasley and
Kendra Spencer.
She took particular satisfaction in her
lifelong friendships with Dr. Jim (Sally) Gell,
Belmont (Gert) Kirschenbaum and her
temple friends.
She was the devoted daughter of the late
Izador and the late Lillian Katzman; devoted
sister of the late Leonard and the late Alice
Katzman, the late Albert and the late Ruth
Katzman, the late Sandy and the late Al
Davis; dear daughter-in-law of the late
Robert and the late Gussie Friedman. She
was a devoted friend of the late David and
the late Ruth Zwick.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made to
JVS, Peter and Dorothy Brown Adult Day
Care Program, 29699 Southfield Road,
Southfield, MI 48076, www.jvsdet.org ; or
Women's League for Conservative Judaism,
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 820, New York,
NY 10115, www.wlcj.org. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
JEANNINE
SCHIFFMAN
DAVIDSON, 58, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 24,
2014.
She is survived by her
husband of 34 years,
Randy Davidson; mother,
Davidson
Minnie Schiffman; daugh-
ter, Abigail Davidson of
West Bloomfield; sister
and brother-in-law, Dianne and Steve Chait
of West Bloomfield; loving nieces and neph-
ews.
Mrs. Davidson was the loving daughter of
the late Abraham Schiffman; dear sister of
the late Marcia Schiffman, the late Rosa Lynn
Kief.
Contributions may be made to Michigan
Humane Society, 30300 Telegraph Road,
BERNICE FRIEDMAN,
Friedman
87, born Dec. 15, 1927, in
Windsor, Ont., died Nov.
30, 2014.
Bernice was known
for strong clerical and
organizational skills that
were valued in a white-
collar employee at Pontiac
Motor Division, where she
worked for 30 years, earn-
ing full retirement.
She served in numerous Jewish organiza-
tions: B'nai Israel Sisterhood (including ten-
ure as president), as an active member of the
Women's League of Conservative Judaism, as
a temple Sunday school teacher and as secre-
tary of Cranbrook Homeowners Association.
Growing up in Windsor, Bernice culti-
vated deep Jewish roots in the Katzman
family tree. The Katzman family flourished
throughout her life, culminating in the
Katzman Family Reunion.
Mrs. Friedman was the beloved wife for 65
years of Jack Friedman, AIA. She is also sur-
vived by her loving children, Karol Friedman
and William Vine, and Beth and Dr. Marc
Obituaries
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Obituaries on page 70
December 4 • 2014
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