DESIGNS IN DECORATOR WOOD & LAMINATES, LTD. Michael Cramer and Joe Kort Annette Berke Kanar and Leslee Kanar Historic from page 9 Complete kitchen and bathroom It Doesn't Have To Cost A Fortune... Only Look Like It! remodeling as well as furniture design and installations including granite, wood and other materials. Lois Haron Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989 BIRMINGHAM MARTIAL ARTS BIRMINGHAM #1 Kids Martial Arts Program Kids Karate NOW ENROLLING 2219 Cole Street Birmingam MI 48009 www.bmartialarts.com 248 646-6608 West Bloomfield couple Annette Berke Kanar and Leslee Kanar, who legally changed their names (Kanar is Leslee's maiden name) last year, are happily planning an August wedding. Annette was amazed by the deluge of support they received after her daughter sug- gested they update their Facebook status to "engaged:' The women, who each have two chil- dren from previous marriages, had con- sidered getting married in another state but preferred to do it in the company of their family and friends. "We could have gotten married elsewhere and had a party here said Annette, "but we wanted our family and friends to witness our marriage, just like any other couple:' Annette is pleased to have the oppor- tunity to be a positive role model for the kids she encounters in her profession as a math tutor. "And my grandkids can grow up to be whatever they want from the minute they are born," she said. "It's so heart- warming." Brian Kutinsky and Michael Neumann of Franklin, who have been together more than 23 years and are jointly rais- ing their three adopted children, found the news both stunning and exhilarating. Kutinsky, who said the couple is "mar- ried in every way but legally," proposed via text as soon as he heard the news. "It's definitely life-altering; I never thought I would see this in my lifetime," he said. "It makes me look at everything in a new way." Catalysts for the precedent-setting case, DeBoer and Rowse celebrated the decision and expressed gratitude to their attorneys and Judge Friedman, whom they asked to perform the marriage ceremony they are planning later this summer. "We're elated, not just for our family but for hundreds of thousands of fami- lies around the country:' DeBoer said. Rainbows Everywhere A proliferation of rainbows, which have come to symbolize gay pride, appeared across Facebook and in various places throughout the country, most notably the White House, which lit up with rainbow-colored lights after the Supreme Court ruling was announced. "Today, we can say in no uncertain terms we have made our union a little more perfect," President Barack Obama said in a statement about the decision. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder issued a statement vowing to respect the high court's decision and make the accommo- dations necessary to fully comply with the ruling. U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich) said, "This is a historic day, reflecting what each of us knows in our hearts and within our communities that we are all equal and should be able to marry who we love." Attorney Ken Mogill, who assisted with the original DeBoer trial in Federal court, said, "Throughout all of this, I kept thinking of the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. Today that arc is a rainbow." ❑ 1970330 If you are not wearing it... sell it!... or BORROW on it! You can't enjoy jewelry if it's sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates feeme-61 Contact Larry Allan 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between Mile & Adamsirmingham, MI • 10 July 2 • 2015 Beth Greenapple and Julia Pais kiss their son, Nadav, at his bar mitzvah. He is now 16.