48 | MAY 6 • 2021
OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY
the late Harry Fink, the late
Jack Fink, the late David
Fink, the late Sol Fink, the
late Nathan Fink and the late
Leonard Fink.
Interment was at Clover
Hill Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made
to Hadassah-Greater Detroit
Chapter, 5030 Orchard Lake
Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48323, hadassah.org/
detroit; or to a charity of one’s
choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
CHERYL
RASANSKY, 71, of
West Bloomfield,
died April 25,
2021.
She is survived
by her husband of 42 years,
Dr. Ronald Rasansky; son and
daughter-in-law, Dr. Michael
and Jennifer Rasansky;
daughter and son-in-law, Lisa
and Jay Lazar; grandchildren,
Lily and Matthew Rasansky,
and Zoey Lazar; mother,
Maxine Stoler; brother, Dr.
Richard Stoler; sister and
brother-in-law, Deborah and
Dr. Andrew Colman; sister-
in-law and brother-in-law,
Debra and Howard Markman;
She leaves many loving niec-
es, nephews, cousins and
friends; her loving compan-
ion, Chewie.
Mrs. Rasansky was the
proud grandmother of the
late Joshua Rasansky; the
devoted daughter of the late
William Stoler.
Interment was at Clover
Hill Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made
to Holocaust Memorial
Center, the William and
Maxine Stoler Fund,
28123 Orchard Lake Road,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334,
holocaustcenter.org; or to
an animal welfare chari-
ty. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
continued from page 47
A
llen Jay Ross died on
April 17, 2021 at home
surrounded by family
after a life well lived. He was 88.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in
1933, he attended the Little
Red School House and was bar
mitzvah by Rabbi Mordecai
Kaplan at the Society for the
Advancement of Judaism. He
was always proud of this as it
represented him well as the
modern thinker that he was.
Allen was known as “Mr.
Republican” and was a leading
politician through his time at the
Horace Mann School, (1951).
His dream was to pursue a life
in politics, but he was a man of
duty and followed into the fami-
ly business.
After graduation from Rutgers
University in 1955, he enlisted
in the Navy, reporting to the
USS Salem C-139 in the south
of France. The ship was the last
big gun cruiser and served as the
flagship Sixth Fleet with four-
star Admiral “
Ace” Lyons at its
helm. Being a credit to his uni-
form and a good citizen of the
United States of America gave
Allen his wings.
He came back to the U.S.A. to
begin his distinguished career
in the meat industry, starting
at Hygrade Food Products, a
family-owned business built by
his grandfather Samuel Slotkin
in 1914. That gave him his roots.
One of the top five meat pack-
ers, their loyalty remained with
the frankfurter; known for creat-
ing the first all-beef hot dog. He
began his career in the beef end
of the business; ultimately to fol-
low his father’s love of sausage,
focusing on processed beef and
natural casings.
He was deeply impacted
by the loss of his father at a
young age (rheumatism of the
heart following survival of the
Spanish flu). Allen was raised by
a single mother and his grand-
parents for seven years until his
beloved stepfather,
Benjamin Hyman
M.D. joined the
family.
He grew up
extremely close
with his brother,
Martin Henry
Ross, as well as his
Slotkin, Ross and Bilgore cous-
ins. They summered together on
the Jersey Shore in the towns of
Elberon, Deal and Little Silver
and remained close throughout
his life.
Allen married Brooke Alison
Roberts (Grace) of New York
City in 1965 and had twin
daughters in 1966. His grand-
mother Fanny Slotkin knew that
he would be a credit to Hygrade
Food Products to help maintain
the good name of the empire
which his grandfather built; she
wished that he become a good
husband, a good father and that
everything good should follow
wherever he turned and happi-
ness should prevail in his house-
hold. He was that and more. He
was a gentlemen’s gentleman and
a man of action with a strong
moral compass.
Allen’s greatest legacy was his
character, which was imbued
by his joie de vivre. He stood
for decency, embodied love and
warmth, charm and had great
presence. His impact was vast.
He led the family and influenced
others with his grace and wis-
dom. He was honorable, loved
and admired. Within minutes of
entering a room, people gravitat-
ed toward him.
Allen was charitable in his
life with a focus on education.
He supported Detroit’s inner-
city schools with books and hot
dogs. While at university, doing
a study on the workers rebellion
of the 17th/18th centuries, he
failed to find any books on the
subject. The librarian told him
to go to Princeton University
Library for what he needed.
He never forgot this and went
on to create the Allen Jay Ross
Library endowment at Rutgers,
1958. The income has purchased
many thousands of history books
for generations of students.
Allen was active most of his
life in cultural and civic affairs.
Even as a transplanted New
Yorker, he was deeply involved
in his community of Detroit,
supporting most specifically the
Music Hall, for almost 40 years.
He recently passed his trustee
baton to his twin daughters to
whom he was deeply devoted,
Amanda Ross Bacon and Alison
Ross Green.
Ever the optimist at 70,
believing in the revival of
Detroit, he moved downtown.
He became president of Detroit
Towers Condo Association and
was a director of the Villages of
Detroit. Allen was preservation
trustee of the Detroit Yacht Club.
He was a member of the DAC,
the Prismatic Club of Detroit,
Franklin Hills Country Club and
was a longstanding member of
the Jewish community of Detroit
and Temple Beth El since
1958. He held many different
roles, including co-chairman
of Temple Art, Mortgage
Reduction and the Ways and
Means Committee.
In addition to his wife, Judy,
he is survived by his twin
daughters, Alison and Amanda;
his sons-in-law, Jonathan Green
and Zack Bacon; his grandsons,
Oliver Green, Charles Green
and Samuel Green. He is
also survived by his nieces
and nephew, Katherine Ross
(Govan), Jane Ross (Yaffe),
David Ross (Amy) and their
families. Allen was also married
to Adria Aronow (Roush) of
Detroit, 1975-1981.
He was predeceased by his
beloved niece Constance Lynn
Ross.
Contributions in Allen’s
memory may be made to the
Music Hall of Detroit, musichall.
networkforgood.com.
Committed To His City
Allen Ross
c. 1955
continued from page 46