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Pioneer In Special Education
D
r. Patricia Joyce Oppenheim
Machpelah Cemetery Association,
Levin Rice, Ph.D., 83, died Jan. which was founded by her grandfather,
18, 2016. She was a pioneer
David Oppenheim.
in the field of special education in
Her energy and dedication to her
Michigan.
life’s work as an educator and to her
Patricia was born
communities will continue
April 5, 1932, to Royal
to inspire her children and
A. and Elsa (Freeman)
grandchildren. She lived
Oppenheim of Detroit.
her life on her own terms
She began her teach-
and never failed to find
ing career in 1967 as a
the humor in every situa-
volunteer in the Detroit
tion. She would want all to
Public Schools. During
remember that she always
the next 10 years, she
sailed confidently into a
gave countless children
storm and never let life’s
with learning disabilities
disappointments get her
the gift of reading. Her
down. She was a loving
success in raising stu-
mother and grandmother
dent reading levels led
and will be missed greatly.
her to pursue master’s
She was the former
Dr. Patricia Rice
and doctorate degrees in
wife of retired Michigan
special education, which
Supreme Court Justice
were awarded in 1973
Charles L. Levin. After her
and 1981, respectively.
divorce from Justice Levin in 1983, she
In 1976, she joined the faculty of
relocated to Miami, where she would
Marygrove College, where she directed
live for nearly 30 years. In 1990, she
a master’s degree program to educate
married Howard T. Rice. They divorced
teachers in the field of learning disabil- in 1994.
ities. After leaving Marygrove College
She is survived by her sister, Valerie
in 1986, she served as an adjunct pro-
Hart (Buddy) of Mt. Dora, Fla.; chil-
fessor at Oakland University, Florida
dren, Amy Levin Ragen (Mathew), and
International University and the
Fredrick Stuart Levin (Marsha); three
University of Miami. She also served as grandchildren, Jacob Elliot Ragen,
a consultant to Lady Elizabeth School
Joshua Brooks Ragen and Emily Rose
in Javea, Spain.
Levin.
In addition to her work as an educa-
She was the mother of the late
tor, Patricia served both the Detroit
Arthur David Levin.
and Miami communities as a tireless
Memorial services were held at
advocate and fundraiser for countless
David Oppenheim Memorial Chapel
charities including, among others, the
at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.
Woman’s Auxiliary of the Children’s
Interment was at Machpelah Chapel.
Hospital of Michigan, the Detroit
Contributions may be made to
Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit
Marygrove College, the Dr. Patricia
Grand Opera, the Florida Grand Opera Levin Scholarship Fund, 8425 W
and the Miami Ballet.
McNichols Blvd., Detroit, MI 48221,
In the 1970s and 1980s, she was
www.marygrove.edu/alumni-donors/
active in Michigan politics, helping to
giving-to-mg/give-to-mg-now.html.
manage Justice Charles Levin’s cam-
Donations will be used to fund scholar-
paigns for judicial office.
ships for the learning disabilities pro-
For several decades, she served
gram. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
as a board member and officer of
Chapel.
*
ELEANOR BAYER, of
Scottsdale, Ariz., died
Jan. 16, 2016.
She is survived by her
sons and daughter-in-
law, Dr. Leonard and
Sharon Bayer, Ronald
Bayer; daughter, Phyllis
Bayer
Bayer; sister, Gladys
Schweid; nieces, Sharon
Gach, Linda Spilky, Fran (Dr. Sid) Broder;
cousin, Dr. Robert (Sandra) Matthews;
grandchildren, Justin (Krissy) Bayer,
Jordan (Susan) Bayer, Zachery Bayer,
Samantha Bayer, Brianna Bayer, Jennifer
Kurland; great-grandchildren, Lydia,
Alijah; many other loving family members
and friends.
Mrs. Bayer was the beloved wife of the
late Max Bayer.
Contributions may be made to a charity
of one’s choice. Interment took place at the
Adat Shalom Memorial Park in Livonia.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
BERTHA BEITNER,
88, of West Bloomfield,
died Jan. 23, 2016.
She was born in
Beuthen, Germany,
and lived to survive
the Holocaust, after
which she immigrated
Beitner
to Detroit with her
beloved husband of 61
years, Jacob Beitner.
Mrs. Beitner is sur-
vived by her daugh-
ter and son-in-law,
Linda Dagan and
Tody Warshavsky of
Jerusalem; son and
daughter-in-law,
Norman and Ruth Beitner of West
Bloomfield; grandchildren, Ronit and
Yogev Lavi, Eitan Dagan, Oren Dagan,
Aaron and Marci Beitner, David and
Shoshana Beitner, Jonathan and Leah
Beitner, and Jennifer and Samson
Maxbauer; great-grandchildren, Alon,
Zohar, Mia, Jacob, Rose, Dahlia, Yaakov
Moshe and Esther Nehama.
She was the sister and sister-in-law of
the late Joseph and Elsie Merin.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to the Holocaust Memorial Center,
28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington
Hills, MI 48334; Jewish Federation of
Metro Detroit, 6735 Telegraph, P.O.
Box 2030, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303;
American Friends of Magen David
Adom, 23215 Commerce Park Road,
#306, Beachwood, OH 44122; or a char-
ity of one’s choice. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
LEE BLAU, 93, of West
Bloomfield, died Jan.
19, 2016.
She is survived by
her son and daughter-
in-law, Dr. Irving and
Judy Blau; daughter,
Wendy Blau; grandchil-
Blau
dren, Zoey (Marello)
Zamarrippa, Ali
(Jeffrey) Otis, Lindsay (Brian) Hords,
Lainie (Josh) Sacks, and Ethan Blau;
great-grandchildren, Leo, Francesca,
Paulina, Vasko, Jordyn, Mack, Isaiah,
Talia, Ashlynn, Mason and Nixon;
many other loving family members and
friends.
Mrs. Blau was the beloved wife of the
late Harry Blau; the mother of the late
Jeffrey Blau.
Contributions may be made to a char-
ity of one’s choice. Interment took place
at the Beth El Memorial Park in Livonia.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
EDWARD CHARLES
BLOOM, 86, of West
Bloomfield, died Jan.
23, 2016.
He was a lifelong
bridge player and
teacher.
Mr. Bloom is sur-
Bloom
vived by his wife of
65 years, Esta Bloom;
daughters and son-in-law, Nancy Bloom,
and Julie and Bart Feinbaum; grand-
children, Josh Seid, Sean Seid, Brad
Seid, Nikki Horn and Marisa Horn;
brothers, Murray Bloom and Dr. Gerald
Bloom; brother-in-law and sisters-in-
law, Arnold and Carolyn Gordon, and
Corrine Egan; many loving nieces, neph-
ews and extended family.
He was the loving father of the late
Steven Bloom and the late Barbara Jo
Bloom; the cherished brother of the late
Herman Bloom.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to the
Parkinson’s Foundation of Michigan,
30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 150,
Bingham Farms, MI 48025, www.
parkinsonsmi.org; American Heart
Association, 40 Oak Hollow, Suite 220,
Southfield, MI 48033, www.heart.org/
HEARTORG; or a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
MARTHA FELLA
BORAKS, 94, of
Bloomfield Hills, died
Jan. 22, 2016.
She is survived by
her daughters and
sons-in-law, Barbara
and Norman Samson,
Boraks
Helen and Ronald
Abrams; son and
daughter-in-law, Ronald and Julie
Boraks; grandchildren, Brian (Susie)
Abrams, Jason (Kristina) Abrams,
Jason (Jodi) Simpson, Jeremy (Jennifer)
Samson, Lindsay (Ryan) Hubert,
Andrew Samson, Ellie Boraks and Ian
Boraks; great-grandchildren, Emily,
Allie, Jackson, Ruby, Stella, Gavin,
Keegan, Scarlett and Hunter; many other
family members and friends.
Mrs. Boraks was the beloved wife of
the late Paul Boraks; the mother of the
late Basil Boraks.
Contributions may be made to the
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Jewish
Hospice and Chaplaincy Network or to
a charity of one’s choice. Interment took
place at the Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.
continued on page 94
92 January 28 • 2016