MAY 20 • 2021 | 103
D
r. Dan G. Guyer,
74, of Huntington
Woods, died May 1,
2021.
Raised in Detroit, Dr.
Guyer attended Mumford
High School and graduated
from Wayne State University
Medical School in 1971.
As a psychiatrist, he
served in private practice
in Grosse Pointe and
previously served as chief
of psychiatry at Henry Ford
Cottage Hospital. He was
a beloved teacher through
the hospital and the Wayne
State University School of
Medicine.
Dr. Guyer was a leader in
many agencies and programs
of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit.
He served as a member of
local and national boards,
including the Jewish
Federations of North
America. He was president
of Jewish Home and Aging
Services and co-chair on
the Commission on Jewish
Elder Care Services. He was
also former chair of the
Disabilities Workgroup of
Jewish Federations of North
America. He was a Wexner
Fellow, as well as a president
of Hillel Day School and a
lay leader at Adat Shalom
Synagogue.
Dr. Guyer received
the Jewish Federation
William Davidson Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2020.
At the ceremony last fall, Dr.
Guyer said, “I look
at our community
and its leadership,
and as I look at
my children and
grandchildren,
the future seems
to be in good
hands. May our
community go
from strength to
strength.”
Mark Hauser, recipient
of Federation’s 2012 Butzel
Award, first met Guyer in
the late 1970s and worked
with him on UJA’s Young
Leadership Cabinet and
at the Jewish Fund, where
Guyer chaired the health
care subcommittee.
“He was able to help my
father-in-law, who after he
sold his business, became
very depressed, and Dan was
just great with him and was
able to turn him around so
he could enjoy the rest of
his life,” Hauser said. “His
legacy was to never care
about being in the limelight.
A very humble person, and
a person in whom others
had confidence and looked
up to.”
Joyce Keller, former
executive director of JARC,
is a family friend of the
Guyers. Their relationship
was a personal one, and she
spent many Jewish holidays
with the Guyers, including
some legendary seders.
“That’s really where I
got to know Dan the best
because he had such
an incredible love
of Judaism and his
seders were like none
other,” Keller said.
“There were always
lots of people from all
walks of the Guyers’
life and it was very
special to be a part
of.”
Keller said Dr.
Guyer’s inclusiveness in
those seders were reflective
of his inclusiveness in
general life. “He was a
force,” Keller said. “He was
somebody the community
looked to for leadership.
“He was an amazing
father who raised three
unbelievable kids, who
are so brilliant and
accomplished; and it’s so
much a reflection of the
home they grew up in and
the values they grew up with
that he and Cheryl fostered,”
Keller added.
Dr. Guyer’s daughter
Sara Guyer said her father
was a model within the
community and within
his own family. “He had a
very clear idea about the
kind of man, husband,
father, grandfather, friend,
doctor and member of the
community he wanted to
be, and he dedicated his life
from the time he was very
young to fulfilling that very
clear vision,” Guyer said.
“He was unwavering
in that sensibility and
commitment. He loved his
work, he loved to read, he
loved to spend time with his
grandchildren, he loved and
cared deeply for my mother,
and he loved the Detroit
Jewish community and grew
within it,” she added.
Dr. Guyer is survived by
his wife of 52 years, Cheryl
Guyer; his children, Sara
Guyer (Scott Straus), Erica
Guyer (Daniel Franklin)
and Jonathan Guyer; and six
grandchildren, Sadie Straus,
Solomon Straus, Anna
Franklin, Jacob Franklin,
Samuel Franklin and Aerin
Franklin. He is also survived
by sister, Annie (Judge
Benjamin) Friedman; sister-
in-law, Elise (Dr. Marty)
Levinson; brother-in-law,
Neil Chapin (Diana Staneva)
as well as many loving
nieces, nephews, grand-
nieces, grandnephews,
cousins, colleagues and a
world of friends.
Dr. Guyer was the son of
the late Edith and the late
Abram Guyer, and brother
of the late Dr. Martin
(Sheila) Guyer.
Private graveside
services were held at Adat
Shalom Memorial Park
Cemetery. Contributions
may be directed to Jewish
Federation of Metro Detroit,
jewishdetroit.org; or any
Jewish charity of your
choice. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
A Beloved Doctor
& Community Leader
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
Dr. Dan Guyer