soul

of blessed memory

‘I Wanted To Live …
I Knew I Would Never Give Up.’

S

amuel Katz, 88, of Bloomfield
Hills, died on April 26, 2017.
A Holocaust survivor, Mr.
Katz said in an Aug. 23, 2012, JN
story, “I’m living here on borrowed
time … I’m really not supposed to be
alive, but, thank God, I am here.”
Mr. Katz was a young boy when
he endured unimaginable horrors,
yet these experiences only made
him stronger and more determined
to make a better life for himself and
his family.
“I came to this country with $5
in my pocket, but I knew that if I
worked hard enough, I could have
everything,” he had said, and he was
right.
For 30 years, Katz owned a pro-
duce market in Madison Heights. It
wasn’t unusual to see him working
100 hours a week. For more than
20 years, he has owned a shopping
center in Warren where his present
store, Produce Palace, is located. He
and his wife, Sharon, raised three
daughters and have seven grand-
children.
Born Oct. 5, 1928, in Iwie, Poland,
Mr. Katz lived with his parents
and three siblings. They enjoyed
their lifestyle until 1939, when the
Russians occupied their town. Then
the Germans invaded Poland in 1941
and life became even worse.
When Jewish men were selected
for labor camps or death, Mr. Katz,
then 13, asked to take his father’s
place. After six months, he was told
he was too young and no longer

needed. He was put on a train
with hundreds of other Jews.
When the train stopped in
Wilno, he saw Germans seal-
ing the boxcars so nobody
could get out. He realized he
would be killed if he didn’t
get off. He broke a window
in the bathroom, jumped out
and rolled down a mountain.
He was going so fast, guards
had no time to shoot him.
Shedding his jacket with
Katz
his yellow Star of David, he
walked for 10 days, sleeping
in fields at night. In a ghetto,
he met someone who told him
his father, brother and older
sister were alive and living in
the jungles. After reuniting, he
joined them as an underground
partisan for the Russians in
their fight against Germany.
After the war, he and his older
sister — the only family survivors
— decided they wanted to live
in America. In Munich, where he
helped the American Army still
occupying a camp, he met a captain
who brought him to the American
embassy.
As an orphan, he was eligible
for a program headed by Eleanor
Roosevelt to bring children to
America. His sister, too old for the
program, joined him later. He trav-
eled to Detroit to be with an uncle,
who owned a fruit market. He
worked there before and after he
was drafted into the Army, and until

he opened his own
produce market.
“All my hard
work has paid
off,” Mr. Katz said
in the JN story. “I
always did the best
that I could. Since
I was 13 years old,
I wanted to live ... I
knew that I would
never give up!”
Samuel Katz is
survived by his
wife of 57 years,
Sharon Hope
Katz; daugh-
ters and son-
in-law, Cynthia
Katz Heyman,
Monica and Scott
Goodwin, and
Karin Sherman; grandchildren,
Arianna Heyman, Alana Karbal,
Ashley Karbal, Karlee Goodwin,
Danielle Sherman, Joshua Sherman
and Fallan Sherman.
He was the devoted son of the late
Eli and the late Sarah Katz; the lov-
ing brother of the late Sally and the
late Sol Sloan, the late Gershon Katz
and the late Rachel Katz.
Interment was at Clover Hill
Park Cemetery. Contributions may
be made to Holocaust Memorial
Center, 28123 Orchard Lake Road,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334, www.
holocaustcenter.org; or to a charity
of one’s choice. Arrangements by ra
Kaufman Chapel. •

32906 Middlebelt Rd (at 14 Mile)

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VICKY (RIMM) BLOCK, 81, of
Northville, died April 30, 2017.
She was the beloved mother of
Kenneth, Michael, Lisa Doyle and
Margaret (Thomas Ott); beloved
grandmother of Eryn Block, Hannah
Doyle, Bryce Doyle and Bridget Ott.
Private services were held in
Miami, Fla. Contributions may
be made to the American Lung
Association.

PETER COOPER, 64,
of Oak Park, died
April 27, 2017.
He graduated
from Frank Cody
High School and
was an extremely
active member
Cooper
of Congregation
T’chiyah.
He was a for-
mer Religious
Services Committee chairperson at
Congregation T’chiyah, former profes-
sional fundraiser at Arts Marketing
Services at the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra, former new and MDOC
case manager of intakes and referrals
at AIDS Partnership Michigan (APM),
former cage banker at Motor City
Casino, former senior teller, branch
clerk, ATM Reconciliation, cash man-
agement services at City National/First
of America/National City Bank.
Mr. Cooper is survived by his loving
partner of 12 years, Jonathan Quirk;
brother, Bob Jackson; brother-in-law,
Petie Jackson; nephew, Gery Jackson;
also survived by a world of friends.
He was the devoted son of the late
Billie and the late Abraham Cooper.
Contributions may be made to
Congregation T’chiyah, c/o David
and Miriam Mondry Building, 15000
W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park, MI 48237.
Interment was held at Clover Hill
Park Cemetery in Birmingham.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.

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