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Obituaries from page 49

Dedicated Volunteer

A Truly Caring Person

P

G

hyllis Cohen,
90, a resident of
Bingham Farms,
died on May 24, 2016.
She was born and
raised in Detroit until
her family moved to
Miami Beach, where she
attended high school.
She was a teenage bride,
marrying Arnold Cohen,
a dashing corporal in
the Army Air Corps, in
1943.
Phyllis Cohen
She followed him to
air bases throughout
the U.S., where he was
stationed during the war, occupy-
ing herself in small towns, where she
knew no one, with volunteer work at
the local Red Cross and visits to local
libraries. After the war, they returned
to Detroit where she devoted herself
to children, Walter and Shari, and to
being a great homemaker.
Mrs. Cohen was a dedicated vol-
unteer, beginning with many years of
service as a Red Cross Gray Lady at
Sinai Hospital soon after it opened.
Later, she tutored at a Detroit public
school and served as a volunteer pro-
bation officer in the Southfield courts.
In recent years, she was devoted
to the National Council of Jewish
Women’s “Wrapped in Love” program
that made blankets for children who
were removed from their homes due
to trauma. In addition, she was a long-
time member of Hadassah and ORT.
Mrs. Cohen enjoyed working for
the Paper Place, a popular stationery
boutique and gift shop, for 15 years

during the 1970s and
’80s. After that, she and
Arnold began spending
more time in Longboat
Key, Fla., their favorite
winter place; and she
retired.
She was very devoted
to friends and family
members and, in recent
years, greatly missed
those who had died.
Her warmth, generous
spirit and stylish flair
were much appreciated,
along with her sense of
humor and no-nonsense
approach to life.
Survivors include son, Walter
(Margaret) Cohen; daughter, Shari
Cohen; grandchildren, Nicholas
(Michelle) Cohen, David Cohen and
Laura Cohen; great-grandchildren,
Lyla and Eliot Cohen. She is also sur-
vived by many loving nieces, nephews,
great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Arnold Cohen; the dear sister of the
late Murray (the late Clara) Green; and
sister-in-law of the late Selma (the late
Lee) Fisher.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Camp Tamarack, 6735 Telegraph,
Suite 380, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301,
(248) 647-1100, tamarackcamps.com/
donate; the National Council of Jewish
Women, 26400 Lahser, Suite 306,
Southfield, MI 48033, (248) 355-3300,
www.ncjwgds.org; or to a charity of
one’s choice. Arrangements were by
Ira K aufman Chapel.

ail M.
(Manser)
Bendit, 69, of
Ann Arbor formerly of
Baltimore, Md., died
of fallopian tube can-
cer on May 25, 2016.
From her earliest
Gail Bendit
days growing up in
Trenton, N.J., she
loved to spend time
at the beach with her family,
especially on Cape May, N.J.,
and at Rehoboth, Del. Later in
life, she loved walking along the
shore with her grandchildren in
Saugatuck, Mich.
Gail was a lover of language,
reading (to herself and others)
and word puzzles, the New York
Times crossword in particu-
lar. She enjoyed many hours in
the garden and though she grew
many flowers, fruits and veg-
etables, she favored pansies best.
She was broadly curious and a
welcoming host who enjoyed
bringing friends, loved ones and
new acquaintances together for
elegant but always effortless-
seeming meals. She greeted
guests with a warm smile and a
gin and tonic, extra lime, in one
hand.
Most of all, she was a devoted
mother of two and grandmother
of three. Among her favorite
activities was pitching in to care
for the young children of friends
and neighbors. Her door was

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always open to new moth-
ers in need of an extra set
of hands.
A graduate of Goucher
College in psychology, Gail
practiced social work after
graduate study at Loyola
University Maryland. She
worked at the Columbia
Medical Plan and for many
years at Johns Hopkins
Hospital.
Gail was committed to several
Baltimore organizations. She
served on the boards of Florence
Crittenton and the House of
Ruth and was involved in edu-
cation outreach at Beth Am
Synagogue. She was also board
member, patron and fan of the
Baltimore Choral Arts Society.
Mrs. Bendit was predeceased
by her parents, Hope Kane
Manser and Daniel K. Volk. She
is survived by two daughters,
Rachel Bendit (Mark Bernstein)
of Ann Arbor and Sarah Bendit
(Katerli Bounds) of Detroit;
three grandchildren, Noah, Eva
and Bendit; her former husband,
Dr. Emile Bendit of Baltimore.
Funeral and interment were
held at King David Memorial
Gardens, Falls Church, Va., on
May 27. Contributions may
be made to Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation, 26
Broadway, 14th Floor, New York,
NY, 10004. Local arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

