64 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019 

Soul
of blessed memory

“Jack of all Trades” with a Heart of Gold

RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
D

r. Jack Wayne’
s life is 
a story of resiliency in 
the face of adversity. 
A devoted family man, he was 
a legendary baker, a gifted 
teacher, a talented dancer and a 
skilled handyman. 
A Holocaust survivor who 
endured unspeakable horrors, 
he had an irresistible smile and 
a positive outlook that bright-
ened the lives of everyone who 
knew him.
He died Nov. 5, 2019, in 
his Bloomfield Hills home, 
surrounded by his family. He 
was 92.
Jack’
s story, archived at the 
U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
Museum in Washington, D.C., 
reads like a film script. In 1927, 
he was born in Lodz, Poland, 
the second of four children. 
His parents ran a bakery, where 
Jack worked after his father 
died at 42, all while attending 
school amid a backdrop of 
growing anti-Semitism. 
When the Germans invad-
ed Lodz, the family lived in a 
ghetto before being taken to 
Auschwitz. There, the siblings 
were separated, and Jack’
s 
mother and youngest brother 
died in the gas chambers. 
After working in a coal 
mine, Jack was sent to Dachau. 
When the guards caught him 
trying to escape, he was shot 
and left for dead. Miraculously, 
he recovered and was reunited 
with his brother Larry and 
their sister Ruth. Together, 
family connections helped 
them find their way to Detroit.
Despite the adversities of his 
youth, Jack’
s positive outlook 
toward the future enabled him 
to thrive in Detroit. He gradu-

ated from Central 
High School in 
1948 and earned 
his bachelor’
s, mas-
ter’
s and doctorate 
degrees in educa-
tion from Wayne 
State University. 
He was a beloved 
sixth-grade teacher 
in Dearborn for 
33 years. He also taught sum-
mer classes at Harvard and 
supervised student teachers 
at University of Michigan-
Dearborn, where he earned a 
distinguished service award. 
Over the years, he received 
hundreds of appreciative letters 
from 
sixth-graders to graduate 
students. 
“He was a true inspiration, 
coming to this country as an 
orphan not speaking the lan-
guage yet pursuing his passion 
for learning and education,
” 
said daughter Marsha. When 
he met Saginaw native Johanna 
“Jo” Mandelstamm, he knew 
he had found his partner for 
life. The couple, who celebrated 
their 63rd wedding anniver-
sary Oct. 21, did everything 
together. 
They enjoyed cooking, trav-
eling abroad, and attending 
Broadway shows and chamber 
music concerts. They shared 
a mutual love of music; one of 
his greatest pleasures was sing-
ing Broadway show tunes as 
Johanna played the piano. Even 
sharing simple pleasures like 
a car ride to Zingerman’
s for a 
coffee and dessert was a joy. 
Family was their highest pri-
ority. Jack’
s face lit up whenever 
he talked about his daughters 
and five grandchildren. He wel-

comed his sons-in-law 
with open arms and 
had a special bond 
with each member of 
the family.
“I always felt like I 
had won the lottery 
and hit the ‘
jackpot,
’
” 
Marsha said. Even 
when Jack’
s health 
declined, his smile and 
positive attitude never faded.
His daughter Felicia 
Neumann admired his 
connectedness and ease in 
building relationships with 
anyone he met. Despite the way 
he had been treated during the 
war, he managed to find the 
goodness in other people. 
Being a “Jack of all trades,
” 
he could wield a tennis racquet 
or a hammer with equal 
proficiency; he was adept at 
building an addition onto the 
house and assembling and 
wiring his own stereo system. 
His challah was legendary, 
as were his other culinary 
creations: homemade gefilte 
fish, apple cake and cheesecake 
— always made with Jo and 
with love. He taught the adult 
conversion class at Temple 
Israel, where the highlight was 
a baking lesson using his own 
special challah recipe. 
Jack’
s actions reflected his 
personal commitment to 
tikkun olam — repairing the 
world. He believed in giving 
back to his community, where 
he served as chairman of the 
Temple Israel religious school 
and on the board of directors 
at Botsford Hospital for more 
than 25 years.
According to granddaughter 
Chandler Billes, “Papa Jack” 

was never angry or vengeful 
about the horrors he endured 
during the war. As painful 
as it was, he told his story to 
many school groups, wanting 
younger generations to 
understand and prevent history 
from repeating itself. He made 
a lasting impression on the 
students who heard him speak. 
Said grandson Cameron 
Billes, “He knew that being 
sad and bitter was no way 
to get through life. Instead 
he chose to make a positive 
impact on those around him; 
he chose to smile.” 
Dr. Jack Wayne is survived 
by his beloved wife of 63 years, 
Johanna Wayne; cherished 
daughters, Felicia (Dr. Fredric) 
Neumann and Dr. Marsha 
Billes; former son-in-law, Dr. 
Mitchell Billes; grandchildren, 
Chandler Billes (fiancé Brett 
Alpiner), Cameron Billes, 
Dr. Miles Neumann (fiancée 
Taylor Trott), Cole Neumann 
and Jade Neumann; many 
loving nieces, nephews and 
friends.
He was the dear brother of 
the late Lawrence (Marilyn) 
Wayne, the late Ruth (the late 
Kurt) Kent and the late Itzik 
Weintraub. 
Contributions may be made 
to the Holocaust Memorial 
Center, 28123 Orchard Lake 
Road, Farmington Hills, 
MI 48334, (248) 553-2400, 
holocaustcenter.org; or 
Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy 
Network, 6555 W
. Maple Road, 
West Bloomfield, MI 48322, 
(248) 592-2687, jewishhospice.
org. Interment was at Beth El 
Memorial Park. Arrangements 
by Ira Kaufman Chapel. 

continued from page 63

Dr. Jack Wayne