APRIL 28 • 2022 | 61
D
r. Norman Rotter, 85, of
Bingham Farms, died April 18,
2022.
He was born in Detroit and resided
in the suburban area. He attended
Bagley, Post and Mumford High
School and graduated from the
University of Michigan,
where he was affiliated
with the Zeta Beta Tau
fraternity.
Upon graduation,
Norm attended Wayne
State University School
of Medicine and, at grad-
uation, was inducted
into Alpha Omega Alpha
Honor Society. He com-
pleted his training in the
field of neurosurgery at
Henry Ford Hospital.
Upon completion, Norm
served as a captain in the
Armed Forces, serving at Valley Forge
Hospital in Pennsylvania and William
Beaumont Hospital in El Paso, Texas.
Norm found true love at a boy-girl
party when he was 15. His beloved
Harriet of 63 years was only 13;
from that day on they were together
forever. They went to each other’s
Mumford senior proms and were
married in 1956 at the ripe “old” ages
of 18 and 21. There is no greater love
story than the two of them shared.
They were each other’s best friend,
confidant and cheerleader, helping
each other reach successful careers.
Norm eventually became chief of
neurosurgery at Oakwood Hospital in
Dearborn and, after 40 years, he par-
tially retired and returned to Henry
Ford Hospital as a senior staff mem-
ber and was always well respected and
known for his kind and caring bed-
side manner.
Norm adored his family; his son
Steven also became a doctor, Michael
a financial adviser and David a web
designer. When they were young boys,
he was always going to their hockey
games, and he saw all three grow into
fine men with families of their own.
Norm had a strong Jewish identity
and became a bar mitzvah with the
help of Rabbi Daniel Syme. In addi-
tion, he was a temple board member.
Once asked to give the Shabbat ser-
mon, Norm explained how science
and religion are intertwined. He said
during surgeries miracles happened
that could only be
explained by the pres-
ence of God.
Norm had no bucket
list. He was content
and enjoyed many
interests and hobbies.
He was an avid reader
and gardener; everyone
in Huntington Woods
marveled at his red
geranium plants. Also,
he was a car aficiona-
do and, of course, he
loved golf. His gradua-
tion gift from medical
school was a set of clubs and so began
years of golf games and the distinc-
tion of a hole-in-one. He played for
many years at Franklin Hills, eventu-
ally becoming president. In addition,
Norm was an avid bridge player and
was active in the Bridge Connection.
Mr. Rotter is survived by his
devoted wife, Harriet; son, Steven
(Lisa); grandsons, Jacob (Michelle),
Maxwell (fiancée, Hannah); son,
Michael (Tara); grandson, Jack; son,
Dave (Holly); grandsons, Daniel and
Mitchell. In addition, he leaves his
sister in law, Judy Komer (Richard);
brother-in-law, Dr. Jeffrey Band
(Meredith Weston-Band); nieces,
nephews and many close, devoted
friends.
He was preceded in death by his
parents, Roy and Sylvia Rotter; his
in-laws, Herman and Dorothy Band;
and sister-in-law, Bunny Band.
Interment was at Clover Hill.
Contributions can be made to the
Rotter Family Endowed scholarship
at Wayne State University School of
Medicine giving.wayne.edu/donate/
Rotter (313-577-2263); or to a charity
of your choice. Arrangement made by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.
A Doctor of Distinction
Dr. Norman Rotter
one’s choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
DONNA WINKLER, 89, who
spent her teen years through
middle age in Detroit, died in
Portland, Ore., of natural caus-
es on April 13, 2022.
She was born Donna May
Wolfe in Buffalo, N.Y. She
attended Cass Technical High School,
but her many moves as a child mandat-
ed that she complete her education later
in life. She earned her degree from the
University of Phoenix in 1997. “It’s never
too late to graduate,” she would proudly
say.
She studied for and had a formal bat
mitzvah after her youngest children were
adults. In her later years, she was a mem-
ber of Portland’s Congregation Shaarie
Torah.
Donna was married to three men. At
age 20, she married William Bradlin.
They had two children, Michael (Bradlin)
Richmond of Portland and Kimberly
Reynolds (nee Norma Bradlin) of
Colorado Springs. In the 1960s, Donna
married Marvin Richmond and had two
children: Merrill Richmond and Erik
Richmond, both of Portland. The family
moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1973. Some
years after her divorce from Marvin,
she met Bill Winkler, an engineer at
Motorola. They were together more
than 25 years. With Bill, she moved to
Portland so that they could be nearer to
the family that had concentrated there.
Donna was no wallflower. Outgoing
and vivacious, she worked outside the
home throughout her life — in Detroit as
a switchboard operator (a job she bluffed
her way into) and later as an administra-
tive assistant at Stroh Brewery, Bendix,
Arizona State University’s Department of
Foreign Languages and, finally, Motorola,
supporting the Iridium satellite project.
After retiring, Donna devoted many
years to volunteer service. She taught
English as a second language in Arizona.
She was dedicated to the work of the
American Red Cross and was recognized
for her support of their mission tracing
survivors of the Holocaust.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests
a donation to the Cascades Chapter of
the American Red Cross: tinyurl.com/
RCsupervolunteer.
c. 2007