16 | JANUARY 7 • 2021 

T

here are people in your life that 
you’re glad are proud of you when 
you achieve success.
And then, there are people in your life 
who you love and respect so deeply that 
you actively seek out their 
approval when you achieve 
that success — because 
when tye live vicariously 
through you, it feels just as 
good as living it yourself.
When I got this job as 
reporter for the Jewish News 
back in August, my first full-
time reporting job out of college, the first 
person I called was my dad, David. The 
second person I called was his father, my 
Grandpa Bob.
My Grandpa Bob, full name Robert Earl 
Schwartz, 95 years old of West Bloomfield, 
passed away peacefully surrounded by 
loved ones on Nov. 24.
He wasn’t a local Jewish celebrity. He 
never held a monumental role in the com-
munity that would necessarily call for him 
to be written about, and he was never a 
rich man, but he was wealthy in his char-
acter and how he made people feel.
He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and 
moved to Michigan as a young boy. He 
was a WWII veteran and saw duty with 
the 9th Armored Division in Germany, 
France and England, earning a Bronze 
Battle Star and Army of Occupation Medal 

in the process.
After the war, he met Harriet White, 
whose hand he held in marriage for 64 
years. He and Harriet had three children 
whom they loved dearly, Diane, David 
and Judy. He went to work after the war 
and eventually became a VP and general 
manager for Meyer Jewelry Company 
for 25 years, then took similar roles with 
Simmons & Clark in Detroit and Shifrin 
Jewelers until retiring.

WISDOM + KNOWLEDGE
He spoke softly, so you really had to lis-
ten carefully to his words, and you would 
never leave a conversation with him 
without something, whether it be a piece 
of wisdom, a pint of knowledge or just a 
laugh. Family meant everything to him, 
and he let us know that every time we 
would talk.
He was the kind of person who would 
befriend a waiter or waitress over the 
course of a meal, or quickly chat with a 
stranger and make them feel truly special, 
no matter who they were or what they 
looked like. Everyone he came into contact 
with loved him.
He was a human encyclopedia when it 
came to movies and baseball, being able 
to tell you who won the Academy Award 
for Best Supporting Actor in 1946 and 
the World Series in 1955 off the top of his 
head, no matter how old he got. He loved 

his Detroit Tigers and Lions, even when 
they lost.
He was always so proud to wear his hat 
signifying he was a WWII veteran, often 
wearing it when we would go to a baseball 
game or out to brunch together. Whenever 
I was with him and he would receive 
compliments on the hat or a “thank you” 
handshake for his service, I would feel an 
enormous sense of pride knowing he was 
my grandfather.
He was as supportive as anyone with the 
people he loved, including in my writing 
endeavors. He motivated you and made 
you want to succeed simply because he 
believed in you. He also wanted something 
to brag about to his best friend of 80-plus 
years, Danny Hoffer: that his grandson 
was in the newspaper. I always found that 
hilarious. I’ll always remember the special 
bond we had, and I’ll carry the belief he 
had in me throughout my life and career.
We, as a family, were very lucky to be 
able to say our goodbyes and be by his side 
as he passed on, as in these times so many 
families are not able to do so.
Both during these times, and when we 
get past these times, we should all make a 
renewed effort to appreciate those close to 
us whom we love and respect deeply, those 
who treat strangers like best friends, those 
who we want to make proud and live our 
successes vicariously through us, those like 
my Grandpa Bob. 

Remembering a
special infl
 uence
in a young
reporter’s life.

Grandpa 
 

IN 
THED
JEWS

Danny 
Schwartz
Staff Writer

A special memory:

Danny Schwartz, on 

the right, with father, 

David Schwartz, 

Grandpa Bob Schwartz 

and brother Brett 

Schwartz. 
Grandpa 
 
Bob

