Y OU ’ VE ALWAYS ANTICIPATED
EACH OTHER ’ S NEEDS .

English after the enthusiasm
and passion he displayed for the
authors and their messages.”
Larry had an unflagging enthusi-
asm for Judaism. He loved the liter-
ary complexity of classical Jewish
texts, and he loved the arguments
of Jewish philosophy.
After his retirement, he contin-
ued to lead book clubs and to pub-
lish original scholarship.
Larry and Gail moved into their
house in Southfield almost 50 years
ago. The house, on an acre of land,
now in the middle of a subdivision,
still has the feel of a farmhouse, set
in the remains of an apple orchard.
Larry planted arbor vitae on the
borders and an assortment of
grapevines.
The big backyard also gave Larry
the chance to do vegetable garden-
ing, an enthusiasm since World
War II, when, as a young teen in
Chicago, Larry maintained a “vic-
tory garden.” Larry liked to wear a
big straw hat as he worked on his
“farm,” looking more farmer than
scholar. Larry’s organic garden
( fertilized with composted kitchen
scraps), provided much of the fam-
ily summer diet and plentiful gifts
for friends.
Meanwhile, in the ensuing
decades, a subdivision grew up
about their farmhouse.
Larry and Gail Berkove had
recently celebrated their 50th wed-
ding anniversary. Larry referred
to the farmhouse as “his starter
house” and Gail as “his starter
wife.”
Larry had a deep love for his
wife, children (Ethan, Naomi and
Dan) and seven grandchildren. He
described visits from children (all
out-of-town or in Israel) as “better
than medicine.”
His children worked together
with a cousin to surprise Larry by
publishing a story that he had writ-
ten for his grandchildren, “How
Butterflies Got Colored Wings.”
Larry earned many academic
awards and accolades, but he
was most content with the
friends he made along the way.
Larry loved to joke, pun and tell
a good story, but he was also a
profound thinker who could turn
a conversation from small talk to
serious matters.
Larry Berkove liked to say that
he had been blessed with a good
life, studded with features that he
did not regret. •

D ON ’ T STOP NOW .

By now, you know each other so well you feel you’re
part of each other (and you are). You know exactly
what each other is thinking before it’s said.

©Adfinity

With an event as important as this, it never hurts to
discuss your choices and plan ahead. Once you make
prearrangements, there’s never any question about
what you would have wanted... it’s all understood.

www.thedorfmanchapel.com
30440 Twelve Mile Road
Farmington Hills • MI 48334
248.406.6000
TOLL FREE 1-866-406-6003
Licensed Funeral Directors:
Alan Dorfman, Jonathan Dorfman

jn

June 21 • 2018

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