 JANUARY 30 • 2020 | 51

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DR. BERNARD LEON TOFT, 
84, of West Bloomfield, died 
Jan. 18, 2020.
Born Dec. 21, 1935, in 
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bernie 
grew up in a very large fam-
ily in Vancouver, British 
Columbia. 
After high school, Bernie 
worked summers as a carhop 
to put himself through medical 
school. He graduated from the 
University of British Columbia 
in 1962 and came to the United 
States to complete a pediat-
ric residency. Bernie worked 
for many years as a pediatric 
allergist, a pioneer in his field. 
Dr. Toft taught the allergists at 
Beaumont Children’
s Hospital 
how to adjust medications for 
pediatric patients. 
An accomplished violinist, he 

played in the junior symphony. 
Bernie loved spending time 
with his family, playing golf, 
listening to music and danc-
ing, attending baseball games, 
celebrating Jewish holy days 
and spending winters in South 
Florida with his wife, Marlene. 
Dr. Toft is survived by his 
wife, Marlene Toft; sons and 
daughter-in-law, Michael David 
Toft of West Bloomfield, Dr. 
Kenneth Mitchell and Brittany 
Toft of Lumas, Calif.; daughter, 
Alyssa Joyce Toft of Oak Park; 
sisters and brothers-in-law, 
Marsha and Herbert Bishko of 
Israel, Gail and Douglas Lyon; 
grandchildren, Aaron Franklin 
Toft, Franklin Harrison Toft; 
brother-in-law and sister-in-
law, Louis and Sally Soverinsky. 
He was the loving son of the 

late Clara and the late Harry 
Toft; dear brother and brother-
in-law of the late Beatrice and 
the late Isaac Goslin, the late 
Marilyn Soverinsky; cherished 
son-in-law of the late Aaron 
and the late Rayetta Soverinsky. 
Contributions may be 
made to American Diabetes 
Association, Attn: Service 
Center, 2451 Crystal Drive, 
Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202; 
or B’
nai Israel Synagogue, 
5085 Walnut Lake Road, West 
Bloomfield, MI 48323. 
Interment was held at 
Clover Hill Park Cemetery in 
Birmingham. Services were 
held at the Davidson/Hermelin 
Chapel at Clover Hill Park 
Cemetery. Arrangements by 
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

DOROTHY 
VELICK, 103, of 
Livonia, died Jan. 
19, 2020. 
She is survived 
by her son and 
daughter-in-law, Stephen and 
Debra Velick; loving nieces 
and nephews and a world of 
dedicated friends. 
Mrs. Velick was the beloved 
wife of the late David Velick; 
the loving sister of the late 
Adaline Nathan and the late 
Jeanette Jacobs. 
Interment was at Oakview 
Cemetery. Contributions may 
be made to Multiple Sclerosis 
Society of Michigan, 21311 
Civic Center Drive, Southfield, 
MI 48076, nationalmssociety.
org/mig. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel.

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MEMORIAL
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