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COURTESY TAMARACK CAMPS

IN MEMORIAM

Eugene
Applebaum

1936–2017

The University of Michigan community mourns

the loss of Mr. Eugene Applebaum—a dedicated

philanthropist, a passionate volunteer, and a

The Applebaum family at the dedication of Applebaum Village at Camp Maas, 2016

continued from page 14

deeply missed.

neled many gifts toward medical
research on multiple sclerosis and
related diseases. The Mayo Clinic
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Neuroscience Center is the nation’s
top neuroscience research center.
In the Henry Ford Health System,
he and Marcia co-founded the
Hermelin Brain Tumor Center. And
they provided significant support to
establish the Applebaum Simulation
Learning Institute at Beaumont
Hospital-Royal Oak.
“I am heartbroken over the pass-
ing of Gene Applebaum, who I have
known for nearly 20 years,” said
Margaret Cooney Casey, senior
vice president, Beaumont Health,
and president, Beaumont Health
Foundation. “He was a lovely, kind,
charming and brilliant man, always
willing to mentor and assist others
in the business and philanthropic
communities. Gene, as a trained
pharmacist and successful business-
man, highly valued both health care
and education.
“He also co-chaired Beaumont’s
comprehensive campaign that
raised more than $200 million for
Beaumont Health System, com-
pleted in 2011. Gene was a member
of the Beaumont Health Foundation
Board and past Beaumont Health
Trustee. He will be sorely missed
by many in our community who so
admired and loved him.”
In Israel, he was co-founder of
the Applebaum-Hermelin-Tauber
Child Development Center in Yavne
and established the Eugene and
Marcia Applebaum Professorial
Chair at the Weizmann Institute of
Science in Israel.

We wish sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

cherished friend. The Applebaum Family’s

generous contributions continue to create

life-changing impact at U-M and beyond.

We are deeply grateful.

— P R ES I DENT MA R K SCH L I SS EL
AND THE U-M BOARD OF REGENTS

Eugene Applebaum was an inspirational and adored

business leader. A generous philanthropist, he leaves a

legacy to future generations locally, nationally and

worldwide. His warmth and caring, sense of humor and

dedication to family, friends and community will be

Though he was active in business
and philanthropy, he was able to
leave all that behind when he was
with his family and friends.
His family came first.
“We knew we were lucky — Dad
had a kind of magic about him,”

Pamela and Lisa Applebaum said
about their father. “He was happy,
kind and nurturing, soft and tough,
always a mentsh. He was loveable,
likeable, approachable — an every-
day guy.”
Pamela said, “He was a phenom-
enal role model. He always felt very
strongly about taking care of the
generation before you and he made
sure we were all involved in caring for
both his and our mother’s parents.
Caring for family was always really
important to him and that transfers
to the whole community at large. You
can’t just take care of yourself. You
have to take care of others.”
Lisa said, “One of the most impor-
tant things he taught us is to give
back, and how much of a difference it
can make in the lives of others. I carry
my dad’s values around with me.”
In remarks from the sisters offered
at the funeral officiated by Rabbi
Joseph Krakoff of the Jewish Hospice
and Chaplaincy Network, they said,
“There were countless random acts
of kindness. He did so much that
he never shared publicly or told us
about. Whenever someone shared
a ‘Gene’ story with us, and we told
him about it, his eyes would twinkle,
knowing that he had changed some-
one’s life.”
Local businessman, entrepreneur
and philanthropist Dan Gilbert
agrees.
“Gene Applebaum was many
things. Family man. Entrepreneur.
Community leader. But what
impressed me most about Gene was
how he treated people. He greeted
his newspaper boy (and I was one
of them) with the same friendly
warmth that he would greet sena-
tors or CEOs,” Gilbert said.
“He didn’t care who you were or
where you came from; he knew who
he was and none of the success and
wealth he achieved was going to
change him.
“Gene was a friend, partner and
mentor. I am going to miss him

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December 21 • 2017

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