56 | JULY 29 • 2021 

OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

M

arvin M. Tamaroff passed away 
on July 16, 2021, at age 95. He 
battled various medical condi-
tions over the last couple years, but true to 
his tenacious nature, he fought valiantly 
until the end and left this world peacefully, 
in his bed, surrounded by his loving family.
In the hours following his passing, all 
the texts, emails and calls coming in to his 
family shared the same message: “He was 
an icon.
” “
A great man.
” “
A huge influence.
” 
“They don’t make them like that anymore.
”
“
And all of those things are true,
” said 
grandson Eric Frehsee.
Marvin was born to Anna and Louis 
Tamaroff in Detroit on Nov. 17, 1925. 
At 17 years old, he enlisted in the Army, 
where he endured harrowing experiences, 
including marching 300 miles without food 
and being taken as a Nazi prisoner of war.
Upon his return, Marvin graduated with 
a mechanical engineering degree from 
General Motors Institute; married his long-
time sweetheart, Claire; had two children, 
Jeffrey and Karen; and began to pursue his 
dream: becoming a car dealer.
He started out as a used-car dealer in 
Detroit and, in 1967, secured a chunk 
of land on Telegraph Road. “He had 
no money at the time,
” said son Jeffrey. 
“He convinced a banker to loan him the 
$25,000 he needed. His only collateral was 
his dream.
” He eventually secured a Buick 
franchise, too, but only after all 26 existing 
Buick dealers turned down moving to that 
location. In 1969, he became the first deal-
er to open on Telegraph and 12 Mile Road.
Over the next decades he became the 
largest Buick dealer in Michigan and one 
of the most successful in the country. His 
company, now called Tamaroff Motors 
(which includes Jeffrey Automotive Group 
in Roseville), is still going strong today in 
the hands of the third generation. “It made 
my dad so proud and happy to know that 
the dealership is still in the family, with his 
grandsons running it today,
” said Jeffrey.

A GENEROUS HEART
In addition to his career, Marvin was a 

dedicated philanthropist, generously sup-
porting many charities and causes. A ran-
dom glance into his mailbox once revealed 
letters from no fewer than 100 charities, 
thanking him for his support. He had a soft 
spot for just about every cause, especially 
those that supported Judaism and his long-
time synagogue, Congregation Beth Ahm 
in West Bloomfield. 
Marvin’s generosity extended well 
beyond the financial realm. He loved to 
share advice, stories and his life experienc-
es with anyone who would listen. He was 
also a mentor to many people, helping sev-
eral, including his son, to open their own 
dealerships.

ALWAYS THE OPTIMIST
Marvin was an eternal optimist. His 
goal was to live to 100 — something he 
actually expected to do. In 2014, at 88 
years old, he was diagnosed with kidney 
cancer. When he found out he’d need 
surgery to remove the affected kidney, he 
shrugged it off. “It’s not my time yet,” he 
said. “I still have 12 years left.”
He didn’t quite make it to 100, but he 
got pretty close. And he led a long, beauti-
ful life filled with adventure, accomplish-
ments and, above all, love. 
“Yes, he was a pillar of the community — 

but more importantly, he was the pillar of 
our family,” said daughter Karen Frehsee. 
“He was our patriarch, our leader, the 
one who always sat at the head of the table. 
He wasn’t a big talker, especially as he 
got older, but he was a strong, quiet pres-
ence — except when he let loose his deep, 
booming laugh, which he did often.
”
It was always said that Marvin had 
nine lives because he survived so many 
near-misses, including beating COVID 
in 2020 and making it through countless 
hospitalizations in the last few years. In the 
end, it is unknown how many lives he was 
granted, but he lived them all well, and to 
the fullest.
Marvin will be remembered as many 
things: a dreamer, a soldier, a visionary, a 
collector of everything from vintage cars to 
watches to magazine subscriptions, a lover 
of fine food and travel … the list goes on. 
As a friend said, he was a true gentleman 
who always handled himself with integrity 
and kindness. 
“He was, simply, a legend,
” said Karen.
Marvin Tamaroff is survived by his 
wife of 68 years, Claire Tamaroff; chil-
dren, Jeffrey and Sandi Tamaroff, and 
Karen and Howard Frehsee; grandchil-
dren, Nicole and Joel Mazur, Jason and 
Gillian Tamaroff, Eric and Elyse Frehsee, 
Ryan Tamaroff, and Ashley Tamaroff; 
great-grandchildren, Elan and Jacob 
Tamaroff, Maya and Sadie Mazur and 
Hanna Frehsee; sister, Shirley Katzman; 
many nieces and nephews; and devoted 
caregiver, Elizabeth.
He was preceded in death by his parents, 
Louis and Anna Tamaroff; sister and broth-
er-in-law, Helene and Jack Shulman; sister, 
Betty Schwartz; and sister-in-law and-broth-
er-in-law, Dorothy and Harold Reisner.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park 
Cemetery. Contributions may be made 
to Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy, (248) 
592-2687; Hospice of Michigan, (888) 
247-5701; Tamaroff Family Fund at 
Congregation Beth Ahm, (248) 851-6880; 
or a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements 
by Ira Kaufman Chapel. 

The Man in the Driver’s Seat

NICOLE FREHSEE MAZUR SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Marvin
Tamaroff

