obituaries »
THOMAS A.
CROTTY III, 69,
of Farmington
Hills, died Sept.
28, 2016.
He is survived
by his wife of
24 years, Carol
Crotty
Crotty; chil-
dren, Laurie
and Douglas
Patton, Michael and Stacy Shingles,
Marcus Shingles and Robert
Shingles; grandchildren, Alexandra
Patton, Zachary, Joshua, Connor,
Arielle, Jacob, Gwendolyn, Gavin
and Griffin Shingles; sisters and
brothers-in-law, Jane Price, Ellen
and Clip Waling, and Peg and Jim
Lyman; mother-in-law, Bertha
Rochlen; brothers-in-law and
sisters-in-law, Michael Thompson,
Gary and Ilene Rochlen, and Gayle
and Howard Eder; many loving
nieces, nephews, cousins and
friends.
Mr. Crotty was the cher-
ished brother of the late Kathy
Thompson; devoted son of the
late Thomas Crotty Jr. and the late
Kathryn Morrissey; the loving son-
in-law of the late Hy Rochlen.
Contributions may be made to
the American Heart Association,
40 Oak Hollow, Suite #220,
Southfield, MI 48033, www.heart.
org/HEARTORG; or the American
Cancer Society, 20450 Civic Center
Drive, Southfield, MI 48076, www.
cancer.org. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
ABIE EIGEL, 91,
of Novi, died Oct.
6, 2016.
He is survived
by his son, Sam
Eigel; daughters
and sons-in-law,
Barbara and
Eigel
Neil Goldman of
Northville, Faye
Eigel and David
Karres of Westland; grandchildren,
Michael Goldman, Heidi Goldman,
Shawn Goldman, Joshua Karres,
Nicholas Karres.
Mr. Eigel was the beloved hus-
band of the late Gertrude Eigel.
Contributions may be made to a
charity of one’s choice. Interment
was held at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.
‘A Man Of Kind Deeds’
Louis Finkelman | Special to the Jewish News
M
yer Mandelbaum of Oak
Park died on Sept. 30,
2016, at 96.
Mr. Mandelbaum was born in
Lublin, Poland, in 1920, but when
he was 3 months old, his family
immigrated to Canada. The family,
including five sons and two daugh-
ters, settled in Windsor, where they
took an active role in the Jewish
community. During World War II,
Myer served in the Canadian Army.
He worked hard all his life, from
his childhood when he sold news-
papers and helped his father wash
bottles for reuse, to the years as a
watchmaker and locksmith, to his
position as a general contractor.
When he retired, he kept working,
collecting ruined bicycles and spare
parts to put together as gifts for
neighborhood children, repairing
furniture and books for the syna-
gogue, and generally fixing whatever
he found broken.
Though he worked hard, he
was a dependable member of the
synagogue. Mr. Mandelbaum joined
Young Israel of Oak Woods and
continued his membership when
the synagogue merged to become
Young Israel of Oak Park, from 1954
until his death 62 years later. He
performed many roles in the back-
ground during his years with the
synagogue, but rarely accepted any
honors.
He would attend every service as
long as his health permitted. Even
as his health failed, he made heroic
efforts to attend. He came to syna-
gogue early and watched carefully
for the moment when the clock first
showed the announced start time.
Then he would alert people to the
start of services with his unique call,
a gentle “whoop!” followed by his
shy and happy smile.
As noted by the rabbi of Young
Israel, Michael Cohen, Mr.
Mandelbaum helped everyone start
services in a jovial mood.
As one of his projects as a gen-
eral contractor, he built his own
home in Oak Park in 1954 and
never stopped improving the house.
When he became ill, he devoted
ingenuity to making
his charitable con-
the house accommo-
tributions. He would
date his needs. When
cheerfully collect
Young Israel of Oak
items that other peo-
Woods merged, and
ple set out to throw
he was out of walking
away because he could
distance from its new
find uses for those
home at Young Israel
items.
of Oak Park, he took
Although he filled
an apartment nearby
Myer Mandelbaum
his house with stuff,
to use on Shabbat. He
he did not consider it
donated stained glass
precious; it was there
windows for the addi-
only until he could
tion to Young Israel of Oak Park. Mr. make something useful and give it
Mandelbaum was also a member of
away. He did consider thank-you
Fox Lodge of B’nai B’rith.
notes from children precious and
He was married to Alice for 54
kept them on display for years. He
years. During Alice’s final illness, he
also displayed family photographs.
would sit beside her at the hospital,
Mr. Mandelbaum repaired chairs
and they would sing together. After
and tables. When his brother Sol
her death, he could not conceal how
died, Myer took over Sol’s role
much he missed her. Sometimes he
rebinding books.
would ruefully comment that he
Myer Mandelbaum was the
was not keeping his house up to her
beloved husband of the late Alice
standards.
Mandelbaum; devoted father
People who knew him well could
of Irving (Jenny) Mandelbaum,
not recall a time when he had
Martin and Sheldon (Mindy)
much to say. Many of his sayings
Mandelbaum; loving grandfather
amounted to just a few pithy words.
of Yoni (Rachel) Mandelbaum,
Asked the secret of his longevity,
Amira (Rabbi Seth) Herstic,
Mr. Mandelbaum said, “There is no
David (Melyssa) Mandelbaum,
secret. You either do or you don’t.”
Ari (Bina) Mandelbaum, Rami
Asked what he had done for a liv-
(Arly) Mandelbaum, Shmuli (Sora)
ing, Mr. Mandelbaum, who had done Mandelbaum and Esti (Moshe)
many different tasks, simply said,
Kaplan; proud great-grandfather
“Whatever came my way.”
of Kayley, Liana, Allison, Emma,
If anyone — even a doctor —
Azi, Tehilla, Atara, Chaim Naftoli
asked how he felt, Mr. Mandelbaum
Binyomin, Yehuda and Yaakov
would reply “fine.” To the follow-up
Aryeh; cherished brother of Ida
question, he would reply “because
(late Milton) Wargon, late Morris
whatever God gives you, take it and
(late Frieda) Mandelbaum, late
say thank you.”
Sam (late Adele) Mandelbaum, late
Someone characterized him as
Ben (Dolly) Mandel, late Dora (late
“The nicest man on the planet.”
Samuel) Kaner, late Sol (Barbara)
Proud that his grandchildren
Mandelbaum. He was the beloved
observe Jewish law, he still told them son of the late Hymie and Jennie
to be respectful of every individual,
Mandelbaum. He is also survived by
observant or non-observant, Jewish
many loving nieces, nephews, other
or non-Jewish. Family and friends
relatives and friends.
were of equal importance to him;
Interment was at Beth Yehudah
he sent more than 50 birthday and
section of Workmen’s Circle
anniversary cards annually.
Cemetery. Contributions may be
Speaking at his funeral, a grand-
made to Young Israel of Oak Park,
son characterized Mr. Mandelbaum
15140 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park,
as an ish chesed, a man of kind
MI 48237.
deeds. He had a systematic way of
Arrangements were by Hebrew
ensuring that he kept up-to-date on
Memorial Chapel.
*
continued on page 70
Obituaries October 13 • 2016
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