soul of blessed memory Donald Golden: A Man Of Vision O ne time referred to as an “Emperor of Eyeglasses” and a “Czar of Contact Lenses” by the Detroit Free Press, optical vision- ary Dr. Donald L. Golden, a Miami resident, passed away July 30, 2018, at the age of 99 — two months shy of his 100th birthday. Donald Golden was the one of the first (if not the first) doctors to lever- age newspaper, radio and television advertising to build his business as a young optometrist in the 1940s. “He was often shunned by his optometrist peers because he was an ‘advertising doctor,’” explained son Richard Golden. “Back in the late 1940s, doctors seldom, if ever, used advertising as a medium to promote themselves. There was a lot of pressure on him, both legally and professionally, to stop. He persevered, having the foresight to continue an unorthodox path that would ulti- mately pay off in spades. When you fast forward 10, 20, 30 years, most optometrists and others in the medi- cal field jumped on the advertising bandwagon — including his harshest critics.” When Dr. Golden opened his first optometry office in 1946 in Downtown Detroit’s First National Building, contact lenses were a new concept — one he believed strongly in. As a result, he was a champion of the innovation and became a contact lens specialist. After the office began to flour- ish, Dr. Golden opened a contact lens specialty office in Midtown Manhattan and prospered further. He sought out and formed a relationship with A. Mueller Welt, a renowned German scientist with a unique and superior contact lens, further enhancing the operation. Working together on research and develop- ment, they opened a contact lens lab- oratory in New York City and began manufacturing new and improved contact lenses, selling them to hun- dreds of optometric practices across the nation. Subsequently, Dr. Golden changed his merchandising from a contact lens specialty in office buildings to a ground floor optometric center doing both eyeglasses and contacts, changing the name of the company to Detroit Optometric Centers. By the 52 August 9 • 2018 jn Golden late 1960s, Dr. Golden began expand- ing into strip malls and freestanding buildings and, by the early 1970s, his new shops were opening in enclosed malls. He ultimately shortened the name of the company to D.O.C. The growth of D.O.C was a true family affair. Dr. Golden’s wife of 61 years, Norma, was known as a fash- ion icon and was instrumental in building D.O.C into the powerhouse fashion optical chain it became. “No one was really seeking out high-end designers for optical stores, but my mother had such a keen sense of style that it made sense for her to do the buying. Our customers came to know D.O.C as the fashion destination for designer eyewear,” Richard explains. While Dr. Golden and his wife laid the groundwork, their three sons, Michael, Richard and Randal, joined the business. Along with grandson, Seth, the family built the company into the sixth-largest optical chain in the U.S. at the time of its sale in 2007. A beacon of style, the “Doc” as he was affectionately called by all, was always impeccably dressed in his extensive wardrobe of hand-tailored custom suits made of the finest materials. “Doc was a man of style, vision and grace who was the kindest, sweetest and greatest man on Earth. His sharp mind and business acu- men led him to develop many break- throughs in the optical field. He will be sorely missed,” added son Randal. An avid fan of boxing, Doc was honored when Gov. Jim Blanchard appointed him to the Michigan Boxing Commission. Doc enjoyed golf and traveling the world, and he was an avid reader of classical literature and lover of classical music. In his late years, he enjoyed going to con- certs with his sons and grandchildren to see Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones. Shelly Golden, daughter-in-law, recalled, “My father-in-law, whom I’ve always considered a dad, made me feel like a daughter, not a daughter- in-law. He will always have a special place in my heart. He was loving, kind, generous, fun and very cool! Watching him in his ‘golden years’ as a loving, devoted Papa is a memory I will treasure forever.” Dr. Golden was philanthropic, upporting Jewish, diabetes, cancer and other important causes. For many years, he partnered with school systems in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to award three underprivileged graduating high school seniors the Donald L. Golden scholarship, which paid for their col- lege tuition. He was also active in charity work in Miami; the top of one of the Mount Sinai Hospital buildings reads “Donald L. Golden and Family Medical Building.” Dr. Golden is survived by his wife, Marion; her children, Daniel Bloomfield and Tania Bloomfield; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael Golden, Richard and Shelley Golden, Randy and Tracey Golden; grandchil- dren, Seth and Hilary Golden, Bradley and Diana Golden, Jessica Golden and Nici Maruri, Jaclyn, Jaynee and Jenna Golden; great-grandchildren, Claudia and Miles Golden, Gabriella, Giuliana and Gemma Golden. He was the beloved husband for 61 years of the late Norma Golden; brother of the late Dorothy and the late Irving Chaiken, Florence and the late Jack Posar; son of the late Philip and the late Ethel Golden. Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit, P.O. Box 21085, Detroit, MI 48202, www.bhghdetroit.org/donate; or Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, 6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 260, P.O. Box 2030, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303, jewishdetroit.org/donate- online. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. • RUTH GARDIN, 91, of Oak Park, died Aug. 1, 2018. Mrs. Gardin is survived by her sons and daughters- in-law, Hershel and Joy Gardin of Oak Park, Joseph and Gloria Gardin of Oak Park; daughter and son-in- Gardin law, Chana and Dr. Maury Ellenberg of Oak Park; many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was the beloved wife of the late Rabbi Abraham Gardin; cherished sister of the late Edith Fine. Contributions may be made to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, P.O. Box 2044, Southfield, MI 48037; or Farber Hebrew Day School, 21100 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48076. Interment was held at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. AUDREY LEIDER, 82, of Rochester Hills, died July 31, 2018. She is survived by her beloved husband, Harold Leider; son, Paul Leider; daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Mark Sperling, Leider Debra Leider-Kendler, Kelly and Nicholas Simakas; grandchildren, Meredith (Brandon) Jeffers, Lindsay Sperling, Zachary Sperling, Geoffrey Sperling, Ginette Kendler, Courtney Kendler, Max Kendler, Isabella Simakas and Leah Simakas; many other loving family members and friends. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. LORALEI LEVINE, 88, of Southfield, died Aug. 2, 2018. She is survived by her beloved husband, Sanford Levine; daughters, Sheri Schey, Ilene Celniker; sons and daughters-in-law, Levine Steve and Barbara Fallen, Arthur and Sherie Levine, Jay and Cynthia Levine; grandchildren, Jamie (Daniel) Susskind, Jonathan (Lindsay) Schey, Jared Celniker, Ariella Fallen ( fiancé, Seth), Gavin Fallen, Erin Levine, Rachel (Gregory) Collado; great-grandchildren, Sophie and Miles; sister-in-law, Marlene Bass; many other loving family members and friends. Mrs. Levine was the sister of the late Stuart Bass; mother-in-law of the late Ben Celniker. Interment took place at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia. Contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.