JOAN DAVIDSON,
82, of West
Bloomfield, died
July 2, 2016.
She was kind
and giving, and
loved hosting large
family dinners,
Davidson
where everyone was
always welcome
in her Huntington
Woods home, a home she shared
with Stuart for 45 years.
She loved to garden, read, visit
museums and learn about history.
She spent her summer and winter
weekends in Northern Michigan,
skiing and boating. She loved noth-
ing more than having a house full
of people with her at their Northern
Michigan chalet.
A graduate of University of
Michigan, Joan worked for many
years as a myofascial functional
therapist in Stuart’s dental office.
Mrs. Davidson was the loving
wife of Stuart for 62 years; mother
of Kim and Steven Friedman,
Kayli Davidson, Scott and Melissa
Davidson, Jon and Ellyn Davidson.
She adored her 12 grandchildren,
Brad Botham, Rob Botham, Juliann
Botham, Justin Friedman and
his fiancée, Dani Devenson, Brad
Friedman, Ricki Friedman, Taylor
Davidson, Burke Davidson, Hunter
Davidson, Lacey Davidson, Brett
Davidson and Seth Davidson; sister
Susan Ablecop; a world of friends
whom she loved like family.
She was the cherished daughter of
the late Aaron and the late Marilyn
Karabelnick.
Interment was at Clover Hill
Park Cemetery. Contributions may
be made to Special Olympics of
Michigan Area 16, 4024 Student
Recreation Center, Kalamazoo, MI
49008; FORCE: Facing Our Risk of
Cancer Empowered, 16057 Tampa
Palms Blvd. W., PMB 373, Tampa,
Florida 33647; or Alzheimer’s
Association–Greater Michigan
Chapter, 25200 Telegraph, Suite 100,
Southfield, MI 48033. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

Passionate Pacesetter

Esther Allweiss Ingber | Contributing Writer

Z

ionism, history, art, genealogical
research and always her fam-
ily, shaped the world of Betty
Provizer Starkman — recognized in 2011
by Jewish Senior Life as an “Eight over
Eighty” honoree for her lifelong commu-
nity leadership.
Never content to be a “paper member”
of organizations, in 1985 Betty founded
and was the first president of the Jewish
Genealogical Society of Michigan
(JGSMI). She participated alongside her
beloved pediatrician husband, the late Dr.
Morris “Morrie” Starkman, in Dr. John J.
Mames Chapter-Michigan Region of the
American Red Magen David for Israel
or ARMDI (now known as American
Friends of Magen David Adom) for about
25 years. The couple donated an ambu-
lance to Israel on behalf of the family.
Betty Starkman, 86, of West
Bloomfield died June 28, 2016, following
a long illness. Rabbis Joseph Krakoff and
Jennifer Kaluzny officiated at her June
30 funeral held in Davidson/Hermelin
Chapel at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham.
A recipient of awards for her work with
ARMDI, the Anti-Defamation League
and Israel Bonds, “Betty deeply embod-
ied the values of integrity and authentic-
ity,” said Rabbi Krakoff.
Betty was born in Detroit on July 18,
1929, to Rose (Bodenstein) and Jack
Provizer from Poland. Their families
became pioneers in pre-state Israel. Rose
and Jack left Israel for the U.S., eventually
settling in Detroit, after he suffered three
bouts of malaria in a year. Jack owned
Jackson’s Snappy Clothes in Detroit and
later worked at Osmun’s, a men’s clothing
store.
Influenced by her father, Betty joined
a Zionist group at Central High School.
After the United Nations partition of
Palestine passed in 1947, she wanted to
help Israel in the War of Independence.
Instead, she took advice to stay home and
educate others about Israel.
Betty helped in that pursuit by par-
ticipating in the oratory contest of Delta
Sigma Rho, an honorary speech frater-
nity. As Betty told the Jewish News in
March 2000, the year was 1950 and the
contest was for men only, so “Wayne
University entered me under the name of
Billy Provizer. My coach told me to just
get up and talk.”
In his eulogy, Betty’s son Robert “Rob”
Starkman said, “She tucked her hair
inside a cap and won.” Betty said the
organizers were amazed “when it was
discovered that a woman passionately

the field.
spoke on behalf of the infant
JGSMI officer Diane
among nations, Israel. … We
Freilich said, “Betty was
opened the doors for future
extremely well-versed in
women orators.”
Eastern European research
A defining moment in
due to her extensive travels
Betty’s life happened in
to those countries” prior
February 1969. She orga-
to the rise of the internet
nized a rally with the Jewish
and the Ancestry and
Community Council to
JewishGen search sites.
protest the public hanging of
Noted genealogist-author
five Jewish Iraqi scientists in
Neil Rosenstein of New
Baghdad. About 1,500 were
Jersey said Betty’s valuable
expected in Kennedy Square Betty Starkman
family information got
in Downtown Detroit; 11,000
her name mentioned in
showed up.
“Volume 1 of the second edition of my
Yet, in the pre-feminist era, “Mom
book, The Unbroken Chain, in 1990.”
wasn’t allowed to address the audience
Betty traced her Provizers back to
that day,” Rob said.
Sexism also denied Betty’s ambition to 12th-century Spain. To their mutual
delight, JGSMI leaders Leah Jordan Bisel
become an attorney. Instead, she made
and Marc Manson turned out to be her
use of her master’s degree in social work
relatives.
from the University of Wisconsin.
“She was the guiding light and driv-
DEVOTED WIFE
ing force in teaching me the correct way
Betty met her Toronto-born husband on
to do my family research,” Manson said.
a blind date. Engaged after four months,
“Betty taught me and many others that
they married in the old Taylor Street
genealogy was not just a hobby, but truly
Shul on Christmas Day, 1952. Morrie
a work of love.”
went immediately to Korea for military
Betty Starkman was the wife of the late
service. Betty kept every letter he wrote
Dr. Morris Starkman; mother of Robert
during their two years apart.
Starkman (Janie Hamburger) and Susan
A devoted wife, Betty made Morrie
Rott; grandmother of Charlie Starkman,
breakfast every morning. Building their
Meredith Starkman, Brandon (Rachel)
dream home, said daughter Susan “Sue”
Shallop, Devin Shallop, Leslie Rott
Rott, they “picked out every brick, every
and Molly Rott; sister of Harold (Gail)
stone — every morsel of that house —
Provizer; aunt of Jeff and Kari Provizer,
together.”
Marc Provizer and Traci (Jeff) Kaye;
The Starkmans enjoyed dancing, the-
sister-in-law of Ann (Starkman) and Dr.
ater and opera. They collected art and
Norman Moss. She is also survived by
artifacts, particularly Judaica, on travels
other family, friends and her caregiver,
around the world. Morrie died in June
Margo Sliwinska.
1993.
She was the daughter of the late Rose
Charlie Starkman said his grandmoth- and the late Jack Provizer; mother-in-law
er “talked about how art brings people
of the late Neal Rott; and daughter-in-
together.” She was “passionate about
law of the late Leah and the late Charlie
sharing her stories.”
Starkman; and sister-in-law of the late
Meredith Starkman recalled how her
Joan Provizer.
grandmother passed on a precious bat
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
mitzvah gift, the pinky ring Betty’s father Cemetery. Contributions may be made
made in the 1920s using two diamonds
to American Friends of Magen David
and a ruby found inside an unclaimed
Adom-Midwest Region, 30100 Chagrin
pouch.
Blvd., Suite 150, Pepper Pike, OH 44124,
When it came to food, Betty loved
877-405-3913, www.afmda.org; Jewish
deli. Rob recalled the “chop, chop” of
Genealogical Society of Michigan, PO
her cutting hard salami for a late-night
Box 251693, West Bloomfield, MI 48325,
sandwich. Sue said her “mother and
www.jgsmi.org; BBYO-Michigan Region,
grandmother would go early to Eastern
6735 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
Market to buy the cukes” they turned
MI 48301, 248-432-5684, the Lester J.
into pickles.
Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center,
360 Charles Street, East Lansing, MI
GENEALOGY EXPERT
48823, 517-332-1916, www.msuhillel.
Betty took up genealogy in 1979. With
org/donate. Arrangements were by Ira
typical gusto, she became an expert in
Kaufman Chapel.

*

continued on page 46

Obituaries July 7 • 2016

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