'A Brilliant Mind'

'He Had A Big Heart'

D

Esther Allweiss Ingber
Contributing Writer

r. Fred Baskin, Ph.D.,
humility. He loved his family,
73, of Dallas, died Jan.
his friends, music, puzzles and
1, 2015.
books.
Fred grew up in Detroit and
Dr. Rosenberg said, "Fred's
attended Mumford High School,
love of music and particularly
where he graduated as a National Joan Baez and Bob Dylan is leg-
Merit Scholarship recipient. As
endary to all in Fred's life. Their
a Phi Beta Kappa
music of open-
scholar, he earned
ness, love of life,
a bachelor of sci-
acceptance of all
ence from Wayne
and hope for man-
State University.
kind personified
Upon graduation,
Fred.
he received numer-
"Fred was
ous scholarships
humble, forgiving,
and was accepted
altruistic, selfless
to Harvard, Yale
and generous to
Dr. Fred Bask in
and the University
all. He enjoyed
of California,
intense intellectual
Berkeley.
debates, scientific,
He graduated from
political, social and allegorical,
UC-Berkeley with a Ph.D. in bio-
and had his facts lined up and
chemistry. He then was a post-
won hands down.
doctoral fellow at the University
"Fred was brilliant. He showed
of Michigan. Following that,
his courage and character to us
he was a professor of neurol-
all as an example of his great
ogy at the University of Texas
dignity, combating his illness and
Southwestern Medical School at
showing resilience and determi-
Dallas for 30 years.
nation.
During those years, Fred and
"Fred was a man of our time,"
his longtime colleague and dear
Dr. Rosenberg added. "He is a
friend, Dr. Roger Rosenberg,
man for all time. We will not see
collaborated and developed the
his kind again."
laboratory for research of can-
Dr. Fred Baskin is survived by
cer and Alzheimer's disease at
his wife of 41 years, Olivia; his
UTSW. Fred received numerous
son, John of Frisco, Texas; his
grants and published 70 scientific daughter, Amanda (Dr. Robert
papers and articles.
Marks) of Austin, Texas; his sis-
Fred suffered a stroke in 2003,
ter, Joyce (Arnold Kushmar) of
abruptly leaving him incapacitat- Detroit; former daughter-in-law,
ed. While he was in a coma, his
Nadine Gold of Plano, Texas;
final National Institutes of Health grandchildren, Ariana and Trina
article was published. Although
Baskin, Madison, Jacob and
he never got to complete his
Abigail Marks; many nephews,
study, his ideas will continue to
nieces, great-nephews, great-
contribute to the advancement in nieces, cousins and friends
his field.
Dr. Baskin was predeceased
Among his many awards over
when he was 2 years old by his
the years, Fred was recognized by loving father, Ben Rosen, and
then-Gov. Ronald Reagan to be
later his loving and devoted
one of the "most brilliant minds
mother, Sonya Rosen Baskin, and
of his generation!'
his loving father, Jacob Baskin.
His honors have continued
There are not enough words
over the past eight years with the to express the family's love and
Fred Baskin Young Investigator's
gratitude for the patient, lov-
Award at UTSW. The winners of
ing care provided to him by his
the award personify Fred's own
caregivers, Edith Granger and
career by being brilliant with
Reuben Phiri, who loved Fred
great potential.
like a father.
He was aware of the award
Interment was at Sparkman
bearing his name and was greatly Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas.
pleased.
Contributions may be made to
Fred was loved, respected
the Alzheimer's Association or to
and admired by many for his
cancer research.

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wealthier. He didn't want to start a drugstore chain
... he wanted to be a community pharmacist"
Bernie extended store credit to his customers
and gave jobs to at-risk youth in the neighbor-
mong the most dedicated and outspo-
hood and helped with their college.
ken progressive social Zionists in Metro
The Schiffs opened their home to family mem-
Detroit was Bernard "Bernie" Schiff.
bers. They housed and paid for their granddaugh-
Known as a man passionately
ter K'tanaw Hirsch to attend the
devoted to his family and the
Frankel Jewish Academy in West
Jewish people, Bernie died Jan. 14,
Bloomfield and also assisted rela-
2015, at his home in Huntington
tives with whatever they needed.
Woods — eight days before reach-
"He had a big heart:' said
ing his 90th birthday. His well-
grandson Segev Phillips.
attended funeral service on Jan. 18
For Bernie, "more important
was led by Rabbi Robert Gamer
than the religion was the cultural
and Cantor Samuel Greenbaum of
and ethical Judaism that he dili-
Bernie's synagogue, Congregation
gently taught his children:' Aviva
Bernie Schiff
Beth Shalom in Oak Park.
said. Beth Shalom met his emo-
Bernie, a retired pharmacist,
tional and religious needs.
was vice president of Berkley-
"Bernie was part of our Torah
based Ameinu Detroit (formerly
study group every Shabbat morn-
Labor Zionist Alliance or LZA), an educational
ing, for decades," said Joe Lewis of Beth Shalom.
and fraternal organization seeking to achieve
"He hated injustice and sympathized with
social justice at home and in Israel.
people's suffering, so he never let us skip over any
Native Detroiter Bernie was the older child of
of the difficult stories in the Torah:' Lewis said.
Eva (Gitlin) and Nathan Schiff, who had a stall at
Bernie also was active with the Huntington
Eastern Market.
Woods Peace Group and Meals on Wheels.
After graduating from Detroit's Central High
For years, he was a team captain on the Jewish
School, Bernie faked his age to join the U.S. Army.
Federation's Mitzvah Day.
A medic and sergeant, he was in the Battle of the
Participating as members of LZA (Ameinu), the
Bulge, the last major Nazi offensive against the
Schiffs hosted barbecues, programs and celebra-
Allies, and received a Purple Heart. His oldest son, tions for their Branch 11.
Benjamin "Benjy" Ben Baruch, believes Bernie's
"It was one big family — it really was," said
unit liberated at least one German death camp.
Ruthe Levy, whose late parents were the Schiffs'
The GI Bill enabled Bernie to become a phar-
friends.
macist at Wayne University.
Pesach was Bernie's favorite holiday, when the
In 1947, Bernie attended a camp at Brandeis
large seder gatherings had lengthy discussions
University and immediately fell for Sally "Sara"
about freedom and other themes.
Margolis, a local Bostonian.
Bernie enjoyed the symphony, theater, Detroit
Daughter Aviva Phillips said that while Bernie
Lions football and working out for an hour daily
was in a Habonim program preparing participants at the Oak Park JCC health club. His passing
to make aliyah to Israel, her father "proposed to
stunned those who saw him two days before at
Mom while she was milking a cow."
the public meeting about closing the JCC build-
The Schiffs were married on July 3, 1949. They
ing. Bernie wouldn't have missed it. He remained
had nearly 63 happy years together before Sara, a
mentally sharp, independent and involved with
retired database administrator at General Motors
his community.
Corp., died in June 2012.
Bernie was the husband of the late Sara Schiff.
Bernie owned Collie Drugs in St. Clair Shores
He is survived by his children, Benjamin Ben
from 1953 until around 1990. The name came
Baruch, Nathan Schiff, Aviva (Mark) Phillips, Dr.
from a dog the Schiffs got on their honeymoon.
Joel Joseph and Shira Schiff; grandchildren, Segev
Bernie and Sara finally achieved their dream
(Courtney) Phillips, Roey Phillips (fiancee Bridget
of moving to Israel in 1969, taking their four
Cooney), Idan Phillips, Jacob Schiff, Benjamin
children to Netanya. The family came back the
Schiff and K'tanaw (Mark) Hirsch; great-grand-
following year but remained Zionists.
children, Ezra Phillips and Talya Phillips.
The Schiff children, and later the grandchil-
Mr. Schiff was the brother and brother-in-law
dren, were sent to Habonim Dror Camp Tavor in
of the late Lorraine and the late David Mechanic.
Three Rivers, Mich., part of the Ameinu youth
Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park.
movement.
Contributions may be made to Ameinu Detroit,
Later in life, from 1988 to 2011, Bernie and Sara 2886 W 12 Mile Road, #725391, Berkley, MI
volunteered in the Sar-El program for two weeks
48072; Congregation Beth Shalom, 14601 W.
each summer, living on an Israeli army base.
Lincoln Road, Oak Park, MI 48237; or Habonim
"My father believed in socialism as a theory,
Dror Camp Tavor, 2775 Wingate Lane E., West
that it was the right way to live and behave Aviva
Bend, WI 49093. Arrangements were by Hebrew
said. "Even though he was a successful pharma-
Memorial Chapel.
cist and businessman, he could have been much

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Obituaries

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January 22 • 2015

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