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