APRIL 30 • 2020 | 47
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Longtime Brody’s Owners and
Couple of 70 Years, Separated By
COVID-19, Die Just Hours Apart
T
hey were high school
sweethearts, and
they were insepara-
ble — even after 72 years
of marriage. They worked
together for decades at their
well-known store, Brody’
s
Custom Printing and Camp
Supplies, and they shared a
passion for the movies and
live theater. Their relation-
ship resembled a classic love
story that ended on April 16,
2020, when Lester and Lillian
Shindler died within hours of
each other.
Lester, 92, was recovering
from hip surgery in a nursing
home where he died due to
complications from COVID-
19. Lillian, 91, had dementia,
and her health had been
declining, especially since her
husband’
s hospitalization. It
was one of the few times this
Farmington Hills couple had
been separated. Family mem-
bers said she died of a broken
heart.
The blessing in all of this
is the fact that neither spouse
had to be informed of the
other’
s passing, said grand-
daughter Jeannie Gnesin.
Marc Shindler, who
now owns Brody’
s in West
Bloomfield and worked
alongside his parents for
decades, added: “My father
always used to say, ‘
Let’
s go,
Lilah (a nickname he gave his
bride). Let’
s go. Let’
s go to the
movies. Let’
s go to dinner.’
I
imagine that when he died, he
came to my mother and said,
‘
Let’
s go, Lilah,’
and they went
together.”
Lester Shindler purchased
the store in 1973 and turned
it into what family members
call a unique retail experience.
The tumult and chaos of the
store, they said, continues to
separate Brody’
s from other
businesses.
Lester never liked phone
orders. He wanted customers
to come into the store, and
he also insisted that his sales
staff follow around every
customer to encourage a sale.
He was happiest when people
left with more than what they
intended to buy. He especial-
ly loved when the store was
packed with people getting
ready to send their kids to
summer camp.
“Nothing gave him more
joy than selling,” Gnesin
said. “Lil, she was the quiet,
behind-the-scenes person
that nobody knew.” Family
members remember her for
her gentle kindness, patience,
meticulous handwriting and
the lunches she packed daily
for her husband, son and
grandchildren on the days
they worked in the store.
Son Marc recalled an
instance when a customer
came in for a package of
underwear and walked out
with underwear and a tuxedo.
“My dad didn’
t push; he sug-
gested, and he did this thou-
sands of times.”
Together the Shindlers’
lives
revolved around the store.
When they weren’
t working,
they enjoyed spending time
with family. They especially
liked going to the movies and
the theater. For decades, the
couple had been season ticket
holders at the Fisher Theatre,
where they enjoyed sitting
in their front-row center
seats. Lester attended a play
as recently as last month and
had already purchased tickets
for next season.
“
A lot of people knew my
father,” Marc said. “He would
walk down the aisle at the
Fisher and multiple people
would shout out, ‘
Hi, Mr.
Brody!’
”
The Shindlers are survived
by their son, Marc (Shelley)
Shindler and daughter, Shara
(William) Stewart; grand-
children, Jennie (Adam)
Gnesin, Julie (Marc) Cohen,
Adam (Jessica) Shindler,
Zach (Cassy) Stewart and
Alana (Darren) Suiter; and
great-grandchildren, Ellery
and Parker Gnesin, Dean,
Grace and Anna Cohen,
Noah, Liam and Peyton
Steward, and Jacob and Ava
Suiter.
JENNIFER LOVY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Lester and
Lillian Shindler
COURTESY OF JEANNIE GNESIN
vice to teaching, administration and
higher education.
Mrs. Goldman began her educa-
tion career teaching in Detroit and
then moved on to Southfield. It was
there that she served for 21 years
as a teacher and educator at John F.
Kennedy Elementary School.
Upon her retirement in 1986, Mrs.
Goldman dedicated herself to work-
ing closely with WWII War Veterans
and their families as well as serving
with distinction with the Jewish War
Veterans.
Florence was also active with
their beloved Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield, serving in hundreds
of volunteer capacities, including
senior programs and working with
the youth at the temple toward their
education.
Mrs. Goldman is survived by her
son, Richard (Suzanne) of Coral
Springs, Fla.; and numerous nieces
and nephews scattered across the
nation.
She was preceded in death by her
parents, Sam and Ann; her loving
husband, Alvin; and her eldest son,
Dr. Stephen Goldman.
Interment was at Beth El
Memorial Park. Contributions may
be made to Temple Israel, Caring
Committee, 5725 Walnut
Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48323, temple-israel.org.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
SADIE HAMER, 91, of
Southfield, died April 19,
2020.
She is survived by
her daughters and sons-
in-law, Marilyn Hamer
and Al Levett, Lori Hamer Delmar
and Alan Delmar; grandchildren,
Sarah Levett, Aaron Levett and
Rachel Delmar; many loving nieces,
nephews, other family members and
friends.
Mrs. Hamer was the beloved wife
of the late Joseph Hamer; sister of the
late Betty Smithberg, the late Mary
Weiner, the late Lil Weitzbuch, the
late Abe Katz, the late Julius Katz and
the late Ben Katz.
Interment was held at Beth El