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Fitness Pioneer

Ronelle Grier | Contributing Writer

S

ylvia Zukin was ahead of her
time. She was a forerunner in the
health and wellness field, and a
fitness mentor to thousands of people.
Sylvia, a loving and devoted wife,
mother, grandmother and great-grand-
mother who lived in West Bloomfield,
died on June 27, 2016, at age 94.
As director of the women’s health
club and fitness programs at the Jewish
Community Center for more than 30
years, Sylvia taught classes and intro-
duced new modalities that helped her
students achieve new levels of health
through improved strength and mobil-
ity. She was the first to bring the practice
of yoga to the JCC and launched Body
Awareness, an inventive technique for
reducing pain and increasing flexibility.
Called “Dr. Muscles” by her students and
the Detroit Free Press, she introduced
Hydro-Tone exercise and taught Latin
dancing classes long before Zumba came
into vogue.
Known for her easy laugh, kind words
and irrepressible sense of humor, Sylvia
was in constant demand as a teacher and
fitness coach and was a popular guest at
social occasions. She was recognized by
friends and students wherever she went
and always took the time to speak to each
person who approached her, regardless of
how well she knew them.
“Bubbie was magnetic, effervescent in
a crowd or at a party,” said her grandson
Ian, who spoke at the funeral service.
“She was memorable to everyone who
met her ... and she made everyone feel
good.”
Sylvia was born in Detroit in 1922 to
immigrant parents, and she and her three
brothers grew up in a Yiddish-speaking
home where love was more plentiful than
money. As a young teen, she became
acquainted with her neighbor Walter,
and the two were married in 1942, after
Sylvia graduated from Northern High
School. They were married for 50 years,
starting their family while Walter was
still in the service. They later bought
Zukin’s ice cream parlor in Detroit, a
popular local destination for sweet treats.
She enjoyed modern dancing until
her late 30s, when she was stricken
with polio. After spending a year in an
iron lung, she was told she would never
walk again. Unwilling to accept the dire
prognosis, she began a relentless quest
to change her situation. She devoured
everything she could learn about exer-
cise and nutrition and began to put it

46 July 7 • 2016

Obituaries

into practice — at first to regain her
own mobility, and later, to help others
improve and maintain their health.

“She was selfless, always there,” said
granddaughter Alexandra Burkow,
speaking at the funeral service. “She
taught me to be a fighter, to
not let things get me down;
she encouraged me to go
after what I want and what I
deserved.”

HEALTH EXPERT
While managing a bus-
tling household with
three children, assorted
pets and frequent
RESILIENCE AND
guests, she continued to
GRACE
expand her breadth of
According to Rabbi Joseph
knowledge in the health
Krakoff, who officiated the
and wellness field. She
service, when Sylvia was
became a consultant
asked what made her suc-
for numerous organiza-
cessful, she had a two-word
tions that included the
answer: loving people.
Arthritis Foundation,
Sylvia Zukin, c. 1970
“She was a role model for
the Heart Foundation
resilience and how to age
and the Asthmatic and
with grace,” said the rabbi.
Emphysema Association.
“She never realized how many lives she
She was a trainer for the members
touched.”
of the Detroit Pistons basketball team
Sylvia loved family dinners, writing,
and served on the board of governors
sewing, photography, botany, nutrition
for the Women’s Health Club of the JCC.
and the color yellow. She excelled at sto-
She was a popular lecturer at the former
Sinai Hospital in Detroit and Grossinger’s rytelling.
“She was dedicated to healthy living
Catskill Resort in New York. She
before anyone understood what that
appeared on Channel 4 television in the
meant,” said her daughter Lori, who
1960s and wrote articles for the Detroit
worked alongside her mother as a fit-
News and Free Press.
ness instructor and trainer. “She was my
She was honored by Wayne State
University for her work there as a teacher teacher, mentor and mom.”
Sylvia Zukin is survived by her children,
and fitness consultant. She created a
Stanley (Jane) Zukin, Nancy (Jerry) Reed
library of exercise tapes, first at the for-
and Lori (Doug Heikkinen) Burkow-
mer JCC facility in Detroit and later in
Heikkinen; grandchildren, David Zukin,
West Bloomfield.
Eric (Em) Zukin, Renee Zukin, Rebecca
Throughout her busy career, Sylvia’s
(Barry Pollack) Reed, Shoshana (Jose)
family was the highlight of her life, and
Biton, Alana (Jonathan) Katz, Ian Burkow,
she was the nucleus, the bright sun
Loni Burkow and Alexandra Burkow;
everyone orbited around. She was an
immutable presence at every holiday and great-grandchildren, Laurel, Esther, Chloe,
family event, dancing the hora with gusto Shelby, Evan and Lilly Zukin, Erin Pollack,
Benjamin Walter Reed Pollack, Sofia,
at every celebration. She managed to
Jaime and Daniel Biton, Samantha Katz
make time for her children’s recitals and
and Hannah Katz. She is also survived by
school activities and, while she encour-
many other loving relatives and cherished
aged her offspring to develop their inde-
friends and students.
pendence, she was there at a moment’s
She was the beloved wife of the late
notice whenever she was needed.
Walter Zukin; cherished sister of the late
She loved to laugh; she enjoyed music,
Philip (Paula) Bolton, the late Bernard
dancing, flowers, traveling and being
(late Esther) Bolton and the late Irving
near the water. Finding a good deal
(the late Ruth) Bolton.
brought her immense pleasure.
Interment was at Hebrew Memorial
“Bubbie loved life; she clung to it, and
Park. Contributions may be made
she lived it with gusto,” said her grand-
to Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
daughter Rebecca “Becky” Reed who
Network, 6555 W. Maple Road, West
spoke at the funeral service.
Bloomfield, MI 48322, (248) 592-2687,
She loved being a bubbie and a “super
www.jewishhospice.com; Hospice of
bubbie,” as she referred to being a great-
Michigan, 400 Mack Ave., Detroit,
grandmother. She kept a file on each of
MI 48201, (888) 247-5701, www.
their accomplishments and served as a
friend, inspiration and role model, always hom.org; or a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
willing to listen and lend support and
Chapel.
encouragement.

*

JIM DAVIS, 94, of
Novi, died July 1,
2016.
He is survived
his beloved wife,
Lola Davis; son and
daughter-in-law,
Bill and Edie Davis;
Davis
daughters and
c. 1945
sons-in-law, Bella
and Larry Clamage,
Bonnie and Michael
Greenblatt; grand-
children, Mara
(Glenn) Zaiderman,
Aaron (Bettina)
Clamage, Joshua
Davis, Jenna Davis,
Danielle Greenblatt;
great-grandchildren, Sammy, Lily,
Benjamin, and Talia; many other lov-
ing family members and friends.
Interment took place at the Clover
Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham.
Contributions may be made to
Beaumont Hospice Fund or to Temple
Israel. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

RAYMOND DUBRINSKY, 83, of
Farmington Hills, died July 1, 2016.
He is survived by his nieces and
nephews, Mark Dubrinsky and his
fiancee, Barbara Maxwell, Susan
and Timothy McAllister, Shari and
Larry Friedman; sister-in-law, Judith
Dubrinksy; cousins, Anita Garfield
and Barbara Dubrinky; other nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends; his
companion, Kim Jarvis.
Mr. Dubrinsky was the beloved
husband of the late Emily Dubrinsky;
loving brother of the late Kenneth
Dubrinsky.
Interment was at Beth Abraham
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to Temple Shir Shalom, 3999
Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48323, www.shirshalom.org; or
Alzheimer’s Association-Greater
Michigan Chapter, 25200 Telegraph
Road, Suite 100, Southfield, MI 48033,
www.alz.org/gmc. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

BLANCHE ENGELMAN, 91, of West
Bloomfield, died June 26, 2016.
She is survived by her sons and
daughters-in-law, Bennett (Sylvia)
Engelman, Mark and Cheryl
Engelman, Max Engelman, Jason
Engelman and Gary Klun; son-in-
law, Ralph Mills; sister, Shirley Weiss;
grandchildren, Carie (John) Faul,
Adam, Zach, Alex, Michael, and
Mandy Engelman; great-grandchil-
dren, Mack and Mo; cousin, Evva
(Michael) Hepner; many other loving
family members and friends.