obituaries

ELLA BERMAN, 89, of
Southfield, died Dec. 21,
2014.
Born in Negresht,
Romania, Mrs. Berman
survived the concentra-
tion camps with her
sister Esther.
Berman
She met Ludwig, her
beloved husband, in a
displaced persons camp
following the war. Her
legacy will be her loving
family as well as her gift
for cooking. She worked
as a gourmet kosher
caterer at Congregation
Beth Israel synagogue
in Ann Arbor for more than 15 years and
was their first caterer. She also catered
private parties for more than 30 years.
Her food was legendary and forever
memorable to anyone who tasted it. She
especially loved cooking for her children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren
for the holidays.
Mrs. Berman is survived by Ludwig,
her loving husband of 68 years; sons and
daughters-in-law, Harvey (Shelly Kovacs)
Berman of Ann Arbor; Sidney (Sharon)
Berman of Huntington Woods; daughter
and son-in-law, Sherry (Steve) Shanbom
of Bloomfield Hills; grandchildren Marc,
Katie, Josh, Sandra, Julia, Cory and
Tyler; great-grandchildren, Elliana and
Karolina.
Mrs. Berman was the beloved sister of
the late Ester Strasler of Israel and the late
Izik Marton; beloved daughter of the late
Czeva and the late Hershel Marton.
Interment was at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
the Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123
Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI
48334. Arrangements made by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

Contributions may be made to Almost
Home, 25503 Clara Lane, Southfield,
MI 48034, www.almosthomeanimals.
org; Leader Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box
5000, Rochester, MI 48308, www.leader-
dog.org; or to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

MARGARET
"MAGGIE" KONCIUS
BERRIS, 66, of
Franklin, died Dec. 28,
2014.
She was a dental
hygienist.
Mrs. Berris is sur-
Berris
vived by her husband
of 28 years, Dr. Ronald
Berris; son and daughter-in-law, Brian
Koncius and Pamela Miller of Bloomfield
Hills; daughter and son-in-law, Laura
and Dave Hake of New Hudson; Ron's
children, Josh and Karen Berris, Jacki
Berris and Michael Berris; grandchildren,
Everett Koncius, Gibson Koncius and Mia
Hake, Emily Berris and Olivia Berris; sis-
ter and brother-in-law, Kathleen L. Bogas
and Frank Rhodes; nieces and nephews,
Kate Rhodes and Bobby Rhodes, Jeffrey
Berris; sister-in-law and brothers-in-law,
Jan Berris, Billy Berris and Sandy Berris.

ABRAHAM GAMER,
88, of West Bloomfield,
died Dec. 26, 2014.
A veteran of the
Canadian Army, Mr.
Gamer was a past presi-
dent of Congregation
Beth Achim.
Gamer
He is survived by his
wife of 41 years, Mary
Gamer; children, Cheryl and Michael
Miller of West Bloomfield, Jaclyn and
John Maxwell of Cary, Ill., Steven and
Stephanie Gamer of Valley Village, Calif.,
and Rabbi Robert and Wendy Gamer
of Huntington Woods; grandchildren,
Daniel, Alex, Jason, Shira, Elie, Ariella,
Maya, Oz and Aryeh; other loving family
members and friends.
Mr. Gamer was the brother and broth-
er-in-law of the late Annette and the late
Harvey Klasser, the late Harold and late
Sari Gamer.

38 January 1 • 2015

JN

FRED DEUTSCH, 91, former Detroiter of
Miami Beach, Fla., died Dec. 26, 2014.
He is survived by his son, Evan Deutsch
of Oak Park; daughters and son-in-law,
Kerry and Stephen Rapport of Miami
Beach, Leslie Deutsch; grandchildren,
Loren, Barry and Aaron; many other lov-
ing family members and friends.
Mr. Deutsch was the beloved husband
of the late Mary Deutsch.
Contributions may be made to the
Alzheimer's Association. Interment took
place at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

ALYCE DIAMOND, 99,
of Southfield, died Dec.
23, 2014.
She survived by her
sister, Rosalyn Winer
of Southfield; brother,
Harold Patrick; sister-
in-law, Rose Patrick;
Diamond
niece, Bernice Allen;
many loving nieces,
nephews, other family members and
friends.
Mrs. Diamond was the beloved wife
of the late Lee Diamond; the sister of the
late Morey Patrick, the late Sadie (the
late Maurice) Lahr, the late Bertha (the
late Julius) Allen; the daughter of the
late Israel and the late Esther Patrick; the
sister-in-law of the late Bernard Winer.
Contributions may be made to a charity
of one's choice. Interment took place at
the Aaron Moshe Cemetery in Roseville.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

Obituaries

'Hall Of Fame' Educator

D

r. Robert R. Luby, 96, of Chapel
Hill, N.C., formerly of Detroit,
died Dec. 15, 2014.
He had a long history in the Detroit
metropolitan area. Dr. Luby was a
graduate of Central High School, where
he played football and ran track. He
attended Wayne State University, where
he earned a bachelor of science degree,
a master of science and a doctorate in
education.
He was a quarterback on the Wayne
State football team and also a track star.
He lettered three years in a row in those
sports. One of his outstanding track
achievements was breaking the indoor
440-yard record of the former Wayne
State and Olympic champion John
Lewis.
Following his undergraduate career,
he was drafted into the Army, where he
rose to the rank of captain. He organized
a physical training program for those
soldiers preparing to become pilots.
Following graduation he became the
principal of several elementary schools.
His major position in the Detroit Public
School System was as the director of
health and physical education. He
brought the public school athletic pro-
grams together with the Catholic school
programs to compete.
He was honored by many organiza-
tions, including being inducted into the
Wayne State University Athletic Hall of
Fame because of his track and football
accomplishments. The Michigan Jewish
Athletic Hall of Fame gave him the same
honor; his plaque can be found on the
wall at the Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield.
Also, the Catholic Coaches
Association elected him into that orga-
nization's Hall of Fame. In addition, he
was one of two white men who became
a member of the board of directors of
the Detroit Varsity Club, a group of
African American athletes who raised
money to send indigent kids to college.
A colleague wrote, "It would take 20

Interment was at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Contributions may be
made to Yad Ezra, 2850 W 11 Mile,
Berkley, MI 48072, www.yadezra.
org; Adat Shalom Synagogue, 29901
Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills,
MI 48331, www.adatshalom.org; or
Congregation Beth Shalom, 14601 W.
Lincoln Road, Oak Park, MI 48237-1391,
www.congbethshalom.org . Arrangements
by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

HARRY KERT, 81, died Dec. 23, 2014.

columns to list the full litany of Luby's
good deeds, including his teaming with
Birmingham's Bazlewicz to co-fund
operation friendship and the human
relations cooperative with the Catholic
schools:' One student wrote, "He had the
capacity to relate to all groups religious,
ethnic or racial. He had the ability to
make each person feel very special and
at ease and at home with themselves:'
Judaism was central to his values. He
served as president of Traverse City's
Temple Beth El, the oldest in the state.
He was also president of the Shapiro
School of Nursing and the Detroit
Community Music School.
Dr. Luby was a lifelong music lover.
His son was a prominent violinist and
professor of music at the University
of North Carolina. His daughter is a
violinist married to composer Paul
Schoenfeld. His grandson, Nicholas, is a
pianist. His uncle Lt. Raymond Zussman
was awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor for his heroism in World War II.
Dr. Luby was a graceful and gracious
man who influenced a huge number of
children in many constructive ways. At
the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the
tennis courts were named after him.
There is also an endowed scholarship
fund in his name. By any measure, he
completed a long successful and admi-
rable life.
Dr. Luby is survived by his daughter
and son-in-law, Ellen Luby and Pinchas
Schoenfeld of Huntington Woods;
grandson, Nicholas Luby; brother and
sister-in-law, Dr. Elliot and Ideanne
Luby.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Miriam Cutler Luby; the cherished
father of the late Richard Elliot Luby;
the devoted son of the late Albert A. and
the late Ida S. Luby; the loving brother
of the late Mildred Lewis.
Interment was at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Contributions may
be made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

❑

He was the beloved husband of Corrine;
dear father of Caroline Kert of Boulder,
Colo., Kevin (Donna) Kert of Hartland,
Brian (Rebecca) Kert of Livonia; grand-
father of Dylan, Donna Lee, Owain,
Mackenzie, Reagan; brother of Friedell
Wolson, Glorine Katanick.
Mr. Kert was buried at Riverside
Cemetery in Plymouth. Contributions
may be made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Manns-Ferguson
Funeral Home, Livonia. Online guest-
book: www.mannsfuneralhome.com.