110 | MAY 19 • 2022 

OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

D

r. Maurice Reizen, former director of the 
Michigan Department of Public Health, 
passed away at the age of 103. He left with 
a long list of degrees, honors, awards and achieve-
ments that are his legacy.
Maurie was born in Detroit in 
1919 to Max and Minna Reizen. 
He attended Durfee intermediate 
school and graduated from Central 
High School. He spent his summers 
as a camp counselor and waterfront 
director at Camp Nahelu, which he 
loved; he spent the next four years 
getting a bachelor’s degree from the 
University of Michigan. After that, 
he enrolled in the newly formed 
University of Michigan School of 
Public Health. 
Meanwhile, he met his wife-to-be, 
Leanor, in the choral union at the University of 
Michigan.
The Army called Maurie after he had complet-
ed the coursework for his degree, but he did not 
have time to write his thesis. 
It was good fortune that Maurie was accepted 
into the medical administration officer candidate 
school. He spent the next four years at various 
military locations, being discharged with honor as 
a captain in 1945. 
After the service, Maurie made it his number 
one priority to complete his masters’ thesis. He 
was awarded a master of science in public health 
at U-M, and then enrolled at the University of 
Rochster Medical School, where he earned his 
M.D.
As a doctor, he opted to practice family medi-
cine at the Memorial Clinic in Warren. At some 
point, he felt the need to return to his first love 
and accepted the position as director of the 
Ingham County Health Department in Lansing. 
During his three years there, the public health 
code was conceived, nurtured and brought to fru-
ition, the spacious Bake-Olin west building was 
designed and completed, and Michigan moved to 
the forefront nationally in programs designed to 
cope with toxic chemicals in the environment. 
In 1970, Gov. Milliken selected Maurie to be 
director of the Michigan Department of Public 
Health, where he remained until his retirement. 
On the occasion of his retirement, the gover-
nor sent him a letter which stated: “In your 
tenure as director of the Michigan Department 
of Public Health, you have led the department 
through some of its finest times as well as 
some of the state’s most troublesome times. 

Your active involvement in the development of 
the public health code has led to a legacy that 
will stand for years as one of the most modern 
and comprehensive public health codes in the 
country. It was a landmark piece of legislation 
to which other states have looked for 
guidance and inspiration. Your coun-
sel has always reflected your deep 
concern for the health of the citizens 
of Michigan. I can think of few who 
have served in leadership positions 
in the state who have more warmth, 
compassion and understanding for 
humanity.”
One of Maurie’s proudest moments 
was when he was awarded the Roy R. 
Manty distinguished service award in 
2013. In the nomination, it was said, 
“Dr. Maurice Reizen’s legacy in public 
health is unmatched. Throughout his long and 
stellar career, Dr. Reizen achieved local, state-
wide and national recognition as an advocate for 
individual and community health. The public 
health code that Reizen and a team of public 
health officials wrote has been copied by many 
other states. Some of his other notable achieve-
ments are: advocating for flouridated drinking 
water, a well-baby clinic at Cristo Rey in Lansing, 
securing funding for many local health causes, 
teaching and mentoring public health students, 
and expanding the state’s rubella immunization 
program to vaccinate more than 90 percent of the 
state’s young children.
”
Even in his retirement years, he maintained a 
consulting role, volunteered in the health com-
munity and served on various boards to lend his 
expertise.
As his son, Mark, and daughter, Nancy, said, 
“Dad was honest, honorable, just and fair. He was 
one of a kind and he will be greatly missed.
”
Dr. Reizen is survived by his son, Mark; and 
his daughter, Nancy (Howard) Serlin; grandchil-
dren, Jason Reizen, Jennifer Matley, Daniel (Miry 
Bernard) Serlin, David (Dana Shapiro) Serlin; 
great-grandchildren, Molly Matley, Cameron 
Matley, Andrew Serlin, Leia Serlin (fiancé, Carter 
Fox), Ludy Serlin and Olivia Serlin.
He was the beloved husband of the late Leanor 
Grossman Reizen; father of the late Bruce Reizen; 
brother of the late Alice Reizen Sklansky; brother-
in-law of the late Morris Sklansky; great-grandfa-
ther of the late Griffin Matley.
A memorial service will be held at a future 
date. Condolences may be shared with the family 
at familyfuneralcarekeego.com. 

A Dedicated Health Professional

Dr. Maurice Reizen

FRIEDA 
APPLEBAUM, 103, 
of West 
Bloomfield, died 
May 9, 2022. 
She is sur-
vived by her son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Edward and Eva 
Applebaum; daughter and 
son-in-law, Lois and Jerry 
Beznos; grandchildren, Daniel 
and Janet Applebaum, Rachel 
and Hayden Milberg, and 
Lauren and David Grossman; 
great-grandchildren, Ezra and 
Arlo Grossman, Asher and 
Naomi Milberg. 
Mrs. Applebaum was the 
beloved wife of the late M. 
Lawrence Applebaum; the lov-
ing sister of the late Max and 
the late Minnie Millman, the 
late Bertha and the late Jerry 
Friedman, and the late Eva and 
the late Mark Chessler.
Interment was at Clover 
Hill Park Cemetery. 
Contributions may be made 
to Detroit Institute of Arts, 
5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 
MI 48202, dia.org/support/
donate; Cranbrook Educational 
Community, Development 
Dept. 77428, P.O. Box 77000, 
Detroit, MI 48277-0428, 
schools.cranbrook.edu/giv-
ing/ways-to-give; Friendship 
Circle, 6892 W. Maple Road, 
West Bloomfield, MI 48322, 
friendshipcircle.org/donate; 
or to a charity of one’s choice. 
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman 
Chapel.

SANDRA M. 
ARFA, 79, passed 
away May 5, 2022, 
in Madison, 
Wisconsin. 
Sandy was 
director of the University 
of Wisconsin’s program for 
English as a Second Language 
for international students