soul
of blessed memory
A Champion For Southfi eld
A Passion For Design
RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
S
idney Lantz, the oldest
elected official in the
country, was a dedicated
family man and a commit-
ted politician who selflessly
devoted himself to his loved
ones and his constituents.
Sidney, who lived in Southfield
with his wife, Toby, died on
Nov. 9, 2017, at the age of 97.
He became a councilman
for Southfield in 1983 and
served for more than 36 years,
well into his 90s. During
Sidney Lantz
that time, he helped trans-
form Southfield into one of
Michigan’s fastest-growing and success-
ful business centers. He was a supporter
and mentor for many young political
candidates. One of his greatest accom-
plishments was drafting the Resolution of
Togetherness for the city of Southfield, a
document that strove to bring residents
together in a spirit of warmth and unity.
He served as a Southfield fire and police
commissioner for eight years.
“Southfield lost a champion in the
passing of Councilman Sidney Lantz,”
said U. S. Congresswoman and former
Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence.
“Sid was tough. He was a tenacious
fighter for what he believed in — and he
believed in America. It was an honor to
know Sid and to serve alongside him.”
Sidney was born in New York
and grew up in the melting pot of
Manhattan. He served as a medic dur-
ing World War II and later volunteered
with Americorps VISTA (Volunteers in
Service to Americans).
Sidney and his wife, Toby, were mar-
ried soon after meeting at a summer
resort in New York. Sidney began work-
ing as a salesman for Fruit of the Loom
and, in 1955, the company transferred
him to Michigan. He and Toby settled
first in Detroit and then moved to
Southfield, where they continued to live
with their growing family. He contin-
ued to work as a salesman in various
capacities, selling clothing and later,
high-efficiency maintenance and clean-
ing solutions.
Together they raised three children
and enjoyed holiday celebrations, trav-
eling, dancing and spending time with
family and friends. He had a creative
side, which he displayed by designing
the flower arrangements for his daugh-
ters’ weddings.
“He was a very talented, all-around
guy,” said his daughter Philicia Brin.
As the family expanded, Sidney took
great pride in his 10 grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren.
64
November 23 • 2017
jn
“He taught us all to
be giving. We had a food
bank in our basement.
Tzedakah and charity were
always very important,”
said Philicia, who remem-
bers her father taking the
children for weekly visits
to local veterans’ hospitals
and orphanages.
Between earning a living
and raising a family, Sidney
found time for community
service, serving as a two-
time commander for the
Jewish War Veterans and
volunteering with the Michigan Council
for the Arts, the Youth Commission and
the Committee of Senior Citizens Office.
After he retired, he was able to devote
more time to his political career.
His accolades include the Kennedy/
Shriver medal for service and the
Medal of Detroit for his contribution
to the improvement of the school sys-
tem. During a recent Memorial Day, he
received two Gold Coin awards from the
adjutant general of Michigan and the
commander of the Michigan National
Guard for outstanding service to his
country.
He also supported Jewish causes such
as Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, the Kollel
Institute, Congregation Shaarey Zedek
and Farber (Akiva) Hebrew Day School.
Mr. Lantz is survived by his wife,
Toby Lantz-Brandman; son, Scott Lantz
of Southfield; daughters and sons-in-
law, Lisa and Dovid Widenbaum of
Monsey, N.Y., Philicia and Martin Brin
of Southfield; brother, Irving Lantz
of New York; grandchildren, Chana
Leah Widenbaum, Avrohom Zev
Widenbaum, Basya and Duvi Gluck,
Tehila Widenbaum, Baila Widenbaum,
Micky and Shaya Klein, Chanan and
Kelly Brin, Gavriel Brin, Shoshana and
Yaakov Eisenberg, Yochai Brin; great-
grandchildren, Sari Klein, Shalom Klein,
Eliezer Klein, Zara Brin, Caleb Brin,
Ariella Eisenberg and Shaindy Gluck.
He was the dear brother of the late
Julius Lantz, the late Morris Lantz and
the late Helen Perr.
Interment was held at Hebrew
Memorial Park. Contributions may
be made to Kollel Institue, 15230 W.
Lincoln, Oak Park, MI 48237; Farber
Hebrew Day School, 21100 W. 12 Mile
Road, Southfield, MI 48076; Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah, P.O. Box 2044, Southfield,
MI 48037; or Ateres Bas Yakov of
Monsey, 236 Cherry Lane, Monsey,
NY 10952. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel. •
I
rving Tobocman, a legendary
architect known throughout
the world for his innovative
contemporary designs, died Nov.
10, 2017, as the result of an auto-
mobile accident. The 84-year-old
Birmingham resident was the cre-
ative force behind more than 400
private homes and commercial
buildings in Metro Detroit and
across the globe, including the
Max M. Fisher Federation Building
in Bloomfield Hills and the office
building and chapel at Machpelah
Cemetery in Ferndale.
Called a “modern master” by
fellow architect Victor Saroki,
his designs were known for their
clean lines, flat roofs, white
painted brick, oak trim, skylights
and floor-to-ceiling windows. He
worked by hand instead of using
a computer and used the natural
setting as a backdrop and integral
part of the home.
Irving was the son of Polish
immigrants who came to the
United States in the 1920s. He
and his brother, Alfred, grew up
in Detroit, where their parents
instilled the value of hard work,
education and perseverance. He
played football at Cass Technical
High School and developed a pas-
sion for the arts at an early age,
becoming a proficient jazz and
classical pianist and performing in
the Yiddish theater.
He attended the University of
Michigan and graduated with a
bachelor of architecture degree
in 1956. His first project was an
apartment complex near Six Mile
and Greenfield roads in northwest
Detroit, where his family lived for
several years before moving to the
Franklin Village home he designed
in 1967. One of the first contempo-
rary homes in the area, it attracted
a steady stream of passersby who
would stop on the street to admire
the sleek design features and dis-
tinctive architectural style.
He was a loving father to his
two children, Susan, a successful
New York jazz singer, and David,
a musician and film and televi-
sion composer in California. He
encouraged them to work hard
and follow their dreams with pas-
sion and confidence. Despite his
demanding work schedule, he
attended every baseball game,
Irving Tobocman
recital and school activity.
“To live with him was a delight,”
said David. “I spent my entire
childhood in stitches; it was his
mission to make us laugh. He was
heroic and quietly audacious, a
fierce champion for beauty in the
world.”
When the grandchildren came
along, he formed a deep bond with
each of them.
“He was charming; he made you
feel like the most important per-
son in the world,” said Susan. “He
had enormous talent, drive and an
unwillingness to let in naysayers.”
He enjoyed good conversation
on a variety of topics and had a
passion for both the English and
Yiddish languages. He never rested
on his laurels, always looking for
the next challenge or opportunity
to stretch himself further.
“He always looked for improve-
ment,” said his grandson Caleb.
“He believed you always needed to
strive to a level above your com-
fort zone.”
His younger brother, Alfred, an
architect and building contractor,
was his closest friend, and the two
enjoyed collaborating on a num-
ber of projects.
Rabbi Paul Yedwab of Temple
Israel, who officiated the funeral
service, said Irving taught him to
appreciate modern architecture,
the importance of proportion and
the majesty of simplicity. Irving
kept his backgrounds — walls,
floors, ceilings — neutral, believ-
ing that color should be added to
the home by the people who lived
there, in the form of art, books