 DECEMBER 31 • 2020 | 45

P

hilip Kaplan, 95, of 
West Bloomfield, 
passed away Dec. 
21, 2020, after a long and 
fulfilling life. 
He was born on July 5, 
1925, the fifth-youngest 
child of Isaac and Fanny 
Kaplan. He grew 
up in Detroit and 
his older brothers 
and sister took 
great pride in their 
baby brother. He 
worked hard in 
his father’s fish 
market.
On Aug 13, 
1943, he and the 
love of his life, 
Diane Pritz, went out on 
their first date and an 
enduring love affair, part-
nership and friendship 
resulted in 73 years of 
wonderful marriage. They 
had three children, Gary, 
Robert and Janet.
Phil was clearly a peo-
ple person and that was a 
great attribute for a career 
in business. He and his 
brother Sidney acquired 
Northside Hardware in 
Wayne, Mich., in 1955 and 
grew the business into one 
of the most successful inde-
pendent hardware stores in 
the country. Phil became a 
leader of the local business 
community. He continued 
to work until almost his 
90th birthday and devel-
oped numerous very special 
friendships that endured 
over his entire life.
Phil and Diane had rich 
and full lives. They traveled 
to all the continents and 
their trips often included 
adventure, history and 

art. They made many new 
friends along the way. Phil 
was always very curious 
and interested in everyone 
he knew and met. This led 
to long conversations and 
many opportunities to dis-
cuss the latest in politics, 
world affairs and 
the challenges of 
daily life. 
He was well 
known for his 
sense of humor 
and many would 
often seek him 
out for the latest 
joke. He truly 
loved life.
Mr. Kaplan is 
survived by his loving wife 
of 73 years, Diane; his son, 
Gary (Wendy); daughter, 
Janet (Howard); grandchil-
dren, Erin Zeitler (Daniel) 
and Zachary Kaplan; 
great-grandchildren, Riley 
and Mason. He also leaves 
loving nieces, nephews, 
great-nieces, great-neph-
ews and many friends, 
especially in Seattle, North 
Carolina and the Detroit 
area.
Interment was at Adat 
Shalom Memorial Park. 
Contributions may be 
made to Detroit Institute 
of Arts, 5200 Woodward 
Ave., Detroit, MI 
48202, dia.org; Birmingham 
Temple, 28611 W. 12 
Mile, Farmington Hills, MI 
48334, birminghamtemple.
org; or Virginia Mason 
Medical Center, 1100 
9th Ave., Seattle, WA 
98101, virginiamason.org/
seattle. 
Arrangements were by 
Ira Kaufman Chapel. 

A True 
People Person

(Christopher); and grand-
daughters, Amanda and Sarah, 
of Birmingham, Mich., his 
sister, Judy Olinick (Michael) of 
Middlebury, Vt., and a loving 
extended family. 

GERALD 
SALLAN, 86, of 
Bloomfield Hills, 
died Decr.15, 2020.
He is survived 
by his wife, Janice 
Sallan; daughter, LyzaBeth 
Bayard; son and daughter-in-
law, Andy and Lesly Sallan; 
grandchildren, Jillian Sallan 
and her fiance, Ricky Sanders, 
Sydnee Sallan and her fiance, 
Brandon Grodman, Dean Sallan 
and Ceshia J. Hegarty; broth-
er, Don Sallan; sister, JoAnne 
Niskar.
Interment was at Adat 
Shalom Memorial Park. 
Contributions may be made 
to a Jewish education charity, 
or a charity of one’s choice. 
Arrangements by Kaufman 
Chapel.

ARTHUR 
SHAFER, 94, of 
Laguna Woods, 
Calif., died Dec. 19, 
2020. 
He is survived by 
his son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Bruce and Stephanie 
Shafer; grandchildren, Anna 
Rose Shafer and Emiline Maria 
Shafer; sister, Muriel Rosen. 
Mr. Shafer was the beloved 
husband of the late Simone 
Shafer; the devoted son of the 
late Isador and the late Lena 
Shafer. 
Interment was at Clover Hill 
Park Cemetery. Contributions 
may be made to Friends of 
the IDF, P
.O. Box 999, Walled 
Lake, MI 48390, fidf.org/donate. 
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman 
Chapel.

 
 

ILENE STEIN, 65, 
of Algonac, died 
Dec. 18, 2020. 
She is survived 
by her husband, 
Keith Stein; daugh-
ter and son-in-law, Melanie 
and Eric Morrow of Wilmette, 
Ill.; son, Scott Stein of Berkley; 
brothers and sisters-in-law, 
Michael and Andrea Sriro of 
Texas, Ray and Linda Sriro, 
Kevin Stein; grandchildren, Ezra 
Morrow, Levi Morrow; mother-
in-law, Lillian Stein; many cher-
ished nieces and nephews. 
Mrs. Stein was the treasured 
daughter of the late Milton Sriro 
and the late Florence Sriro; 
dear daughter-in-law of the late 
Martin Stein; dear sister-in-law 
of the late Mark Stein, the late 
Gordon Stein and the late Adam 
Stein.
Contributions may be made 
to ASPCA (American Society 
for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
Animals), 424 E. 92nd St., New 
York, New York 10128; or the St. 
Clair Foundation, stclairfoun-
dation.org. A family graveside 
service was held at Adat Shalom 
Memorial Park in Livonia. 
Arrangements by Hebrew 
Memorial Chapel.

ROBERT ZUCKER, 54, of 
Nashville, Tenn., formerly of 
Detroit, died Dec. 2, 2020.
He is survived by his moth-
er, Mitzie Zuker; brothers and 
sisters-in-law, Dr. Kevin and 
Adriene Zucker of Buffalo 
Grove, Ill., Eric and Robyn 
Zucker of Pleasant Ridge, Dr. 
Terry and Ellyn Zucker of 
Glenview, Ill.; many loving niec-
es and nephews. 
Mr. Zucker was the beloved 
son of the late Morris Zucker. 
Contributions may be made 
to Federation, 6735 Telegraph 
Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 
48303; or to a charity of one’s 
choice. A family graveside 
service was held at Hebrew 
Memorial Park. Arrangements 
by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

Philip Kaplan

c. 1958

