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Obituaries from page 65

JEAN BLAU, 86, of
Commerce Township
and Scottsdale, Ariz.,
died March 24, 2016.
She is survived by
her daughters and
sons-in-law, Joanne
and Michael Bellet
Blau
of West Bloomfield,
Linda and Dr. Barry
Hoffman of Calgary,
Alberta, Canada; son and daughter-in-
law, Joe and Nancy Blau of Las Vegas,
Nev.; brother and sister-in-law, Maurice
and Margie Kurzmann; sister-in-law,
Esther Morger; grandchildren, Ashley
(Noah) O’Neil, Jordyn Bellet (fiance,
Adam Deromedi), Ryan Hoffman
(Jocelyn Dombroski), Adam (Alexandra)
Hoffman, Stefanie (Stephen) Spiegel;
great-grandchildren, Ryan Elizabeth
O’Neill, Rowan Hoffman, Alexis Spiegel;
many loving nieces, nephews, other
family members and friends.
Mrs. Blau was beloved wife of the
late David Blau; sister of the late Rose
Kurzmann; sister-in-law of the late
Maury Morger.
Contributions may be made to
Hospice of the Valley-Eckstein Center or
to Congregation Beth Ahm. Interment
was held at the Beth Abraham Cemetery
in Ferndale. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

DR. GERALD
FRIEDMAN, 73, of
Fort Worth, Texas, died
March 21, 2016.
He is survived by
his beloved wife, Jan
Friedman; daugh-
ters and sons-in-law,
Friedman
Jennifer and Joe Cohen,
Elizabeth Friedman,
Victoria Friedman and
Pablo Cantero; son, Anthony Friedman;
grandchildren, Samantha Cohen,
Matthew Cohen; many other loving fam-
ily members and friends.

66 March 31 • 2016

Passionate About Life

L

awrence Z. Stevens, 86, of
ist in his own right, filling drawing pads
Farmington Hills, died March 22,
with African-inspired abstract figures and
2016.
color-saturated landscapes. His preference
He was the co-founder,
was always for art that chal-
with Neal Schechter, of Camp
lenged rather than soothed.
Walden, a residential children’s
Larry found a spiritual
camp outside of Cheboygan,
home at the Birmingham
Mich.
Temple, and he was a
Walden opened in the sum-
decades-long member of
mer of 1960 with 40 campers
the Jewish Community
and grew to be one of the most
Center, where five days a
successful and well-respected
week he played racquetball
camps in the Midwest. Larry
or squash, took shvitzes,
Lawrence Stevens
and Neal ran Walden together
booked the occasional
through the early 1990s. After
manicure and bantered in
Neal’s retirement, Larry’s wife,
the locker room with the
Ina, joined him as co-director.
rest of the guys from the proverbial old
Prior to entering camping, Larry was
neighborhood: For Larry, that was Buena
a teacher who spent 15 years working
Vista Street, across from MacCullough
in the Detroit Public Schools, including
Elementary School, where he made many
Owens Elementary and Cass Technical
lifelong friends. Here he grew up the son of
High School. He earned master’s degrees
Orthodox Jewish Eastern European immi-
in education and history from Wayne State grants, the older brother of Jerry, living in a
University and led art history classes at
duplex with his mother’s sister’s family.
Macomb Community College.
As a father to his two daughters, Larry
In the late 1960s, Larry opened the
was a larger-than-life figure, lovable and
Lawrence Stevens Gallery in Downtown
funny, a joker with waitresses, a walking
Detroit’s Harmonie Park. The gallery
history lesson and an impeccably dressed
focused on Southeast Michigan artists and
sophisticate. As a husband for 51 years of
gained a reputation for championing local
Ina, he was a life partner, business partner
talent.
and best friend. After she suffered a debili-
Though the gallery closed in 1970,
tating accident seven years ago, Larry’s
Larry continued to make the visual arts a
loyalty to Ina grew all-encompassing. He
vital part of his life. He was a talented art-
rarely partook in any social event without

Dr. Friedman was the brother of the
late Stephen Friedman.
Contributions may be made to the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit or to a charity that benefits
medical research. Interment took place
at the Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

PAULINE KARBAL, 91, of West Palm
Beach, Fla., died March 25, 2016.
Mrs. Karbal is survived by her daugh-
ter, Gail Karbal; son and daughter-in-
law, Stuart and Kelley Karbal; grand-
children, Seth Karbal, and Carly and
Adam Duran; great-grandchildren, Liam
Duran and Andrew Duran; sister and
brother-in-law, Betty and Jerry Schare.

her and wore out the seat cushion on the
chair next to her bed.
Larry’s most public legacy will always
be Camp Walden, the beautiful and
magical place that he and Neal created 56
years ago. It continues to be cherished by
thousands of former and current camp-
ers and staff who spent some of their best
summers, made some of their best friends
and learned so much about themselves
at Walden, their second home. As camp’s
inimitable, intimidating, hilarious and pas-
sionate director, Larry made this happen.
He was a singular role model, a charm-
ing, generous man, husband, father and
grandfather who changed many lives for
the better.
Mr. Stevens is survived by his wife of
51 years, Ina Stevens; daughters and son-
in-law, Liz Stevens and Scott Ruthart, and
Rachel Stevens; grandson, Max Ruthart;
sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Rose
Stevens, and Russell and Kathy Sheh.
He was the loving brother of the late
Jerry Stevens; the dear brother-in-law of
the late Edith and the late Nick Agay.
Contributions may be made to American
Camp Association, Neal Schechter and
Larry Stevens Memorial Fund, c/o Andrea
Stearley, 5000 State Road 67 North,
Martinsville, IN 46151-7902, website:
acacamps.formstack.com/forms/aca_
camper_scholarship_program_for_camps.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

*

She was the beloved wife of the late
Dr. Harold Karbal.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
American Cancer Society, 20450 Civic
Center Drive, Southfield, MI 48076,
www.cancer.org. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.