running down the hall and 
banging on the door” when 
she’
s with clients. Debra and 
Richard Partrich of Bloomfield 
Hills, a retired property man-
ager and an attorney, seem to 
relish their new role managing 
feeding, naptime, play time and 
more.
“We had a choice. We could 
be locked down and make this 
the worst time and be miserable 
— or we could make it the best 
of times,
” Richard Partrich says. 
“[Taking care of Isaac] was a 
great opportunity. We’
re having 
a blast with him. We would 
never had had this opportunity 
otherwise.
”
In West Bloomfield, Lauren 
Taylor is preparing to reopen 
her licensed family daycare, 
Miss Lauren’
s, in the next few 
weeks. Her in-home business 
remained open at first to help 
essential workers but closed as 

more people began working 
from home. She typically cares 
for six children each day, ages 3 
months to 3 years, and has been 
in business for 31 years.
“It’
s a tough situation,
” she 
says. “I’
ve heard from some par-
ents that one parent has decided 
not to go back to work right 
now. And then I have some par-
ents who are just scrambling.
”
When she does reopen, 
Taylor will be following CDC 
guidelines for sanitizing, dis-
infecting and handwashing. 
Parents will no longer be per-
mitted inside the house. Drop 
off times will be staggered. 
There will be a checklist for 
families to fill out and tempera-
tures will be taken at the door. 
Cots have been spaced six feet 
apart.
“Still, there are families that 
are not so ready to return to 
daycare because there’
s fear. 

There’
s so much uncertainty,
” 
she says. “I feel pretty confident 
that I’
m going to be able to 
maintain the proper protocols 
because we’
re a small group.
” 
The daily dilemma of what to 
do is not likely to end anytime 
soon. The upcoming school 
year is a big question mark as 

well.
“I know personally there are 
many concerns about what 
school will look like this fall,
” 
Cline, the mother of triplets, 
said. “If children are attending 
on alternate schedules, I know 
I’
ll certainly need care for my 
children.
” 

R

achel Fox celebrated 
her 105th birthday on 
Thursday, June 11, outside 
of the Fleischman building, sur-
rounded by Jewish Senior Life 
(JSL) workers, and was surprised 
with a parade of cars driven by 
her family and a visit from the 
West Bloomfield police and fire 
departments. 
Fox was not only celebrating 
this milestone birthday, she was 

also rejoicing in the fact that she 
beat COVID-19. Fox was diag-
nosed with the novel coronavi-
rus back in April, but had only a 
mild case. 
 This is the second 
pandemic Fox has lived 
through. When she was just 
three years old, the Spanish 
Flu, or the 1918 flu pandemic, 
had broken out worldwide. 
She also lived through the 

polio epidemic. 
“The 1918 pandemic and the 
polio [were] worse than this 
pandemic,
” Fox said. “They just 
couldn’
t do anything for the 
people before they got sick. Now 
they can help them.
” 
Born in Montreal in 1915, 
Fox has moved multiple times 
throughout her life, includ-
ing North and South Dakota, 
Wisconsin and Minnesota. She 
married her husband, Sidney, in 
Minneapolis and then moved to 
Detroit because there were more 
jobs here, settling in Plymouth to 
raise her son, Michael. Fox now 
has two grandchildren and four 
great-grandchildren. 
“I’
m glad I did turn 105. I 
hope anyone reaching my age is 
well and can enjoy their kids and 
grandkids,
” Fox said. “Enjoying 
them is the best. I am very grate-
ful for my family.
” 
After her grand entrance 
surrounded by JSL workers, her 
family drove around the circle 

with their decorated cars, honk-
ing their horns while Fox waved 
to them. Afterwards, Fox was 
surprised with another parade of 
West Bloomfield police officers 
and the fire department who 
came in with their sirens and 
lights flashing. 
The officers then got 
out of their cars and 
wished Fox a happy birth-
day, serenading her with 
the ”Happy Birthday” song. 
Fox is the oldest resident 
that Fleischman has ever had, 
according to Mary Blowers, pro-
gram coordinator at Fleischman 
Residence. Her secret to living 
a long, prosperous life? Always 
remember to be happy. 
“You should live your life and 
be happy with what you have. 
Don’
t look at others with jealou-
sy. Look at what you have,
” Fox 
said. “I have had some hardships, 
but I look at the good things I 
have, and they make me happy. 
That is how I lived my life.
” 

24 | JUNE 18 • 2020 

CHILDCARE continued from page 22

Debra and Richard Partrich with their grandson, Isaac

COURTESY OF ROSE GARBER

Jews in the D

COVID-19 Survivor 
Turns 105, With Plenty 
To Celebrate

Rachel Fox has lived through 
two pandemics. 

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER