L

ois Fishman, 87, of 
West Bloomfield, died 
surrounded by her 
loving family shortly after 
sunset on May 25, 2022. 
Lois was predeceased five 
months by her husband 
of 67 years, Nat 
Fishman. 
Growing up 
in Detroit, Lois 
took two buses to 
school at Central 
High School each 
morning. Her fam-
ily was no stranger 
to long journeys: 
Her father, Harry 
Goldberg, immi-
grated from East Europe 
to Galveston, Texas, before 
landing in Detroit and 
marrying Jeanette (Katz) 
Goldberg who “went the 
distance” as a strong bala-
busta.
Lois’ ease with people 
and entrepreneurial streak 
took her everywhere from 
working in a bakery as a 
teenager, to co-founding a 
retail business called My 
Sister’s Place, to a match-
making business called Your 
Dateline and to a charity 
in honor of her parents 
that distributed complete 
Thanksgiving meals to fam-
ilies in need. She also volun-
teered for the PTA and the 
National Council of Jewish 
Women’s CASA program.
She married Nat in 1954 
and they raised their four 
children amongst a village 
of extended family and close 
friends — hosting holi-
days, simchas and poolside 
parties, all with incredible 
home-cooked food. 
While she liked nice 
things, Lois felt people 

meant more. Her friends 
were a huge part of her life; 
and when not with family, 
she was with “the girls” on 
the phone, playing tennis or 
having lunch.
Lois was a middle daugh-
ter in a tight-knit 
family, including 
the late Edward 
(Miriam) Goldberg, 
the late Herbert 
(Irene) Goldberg, 
Madeleine 
Rosenfeld (and her 
late husbands, Irwin 
Posner and Jerry 
Rosenfeld), Sharon 
Balamut (and her late 
husband Michael Balamut 
and current partner Dave 
Moran) and Nate (Nancy) 
Goldberg. 
She was the beloved 
mother of Graham (Sue) 
Fishman, Jill Farber, Jodee 
(Roy) Raines and Jayme 
Fishman; wholly adored 
grandma of Jarrett Fishman, 
Amanda (Ben) Lesnick, 
Brandon (Erin) Fishman, 
Justin Farber, Hailey 
(Jordan) Farber, Merrick 
Hirschman, Ayla Raines, 
Jasmine Hirschman and Zoe 
Raines; and great-grand-
mother of Oakley Fiona 
Lesnick. She is also remem-
bered by many loving nieces 
and nephews. 
Funeral services were 
held at the Ira Kaufman 
Chapel. Interment was at 
Beth Abraham Cemetery. 
Those wishing to honor 
Lois’ memory may make a 
contribution to the Jewish 
National Fund Plant a Tree 
in Israel program, National 
Council of Jewish Women or 
a charity of one’s choice. 

A True 
People Person

continued on page 64

JUNE 9 • 2022 | 63

Lois Fishman 
c. 2014

HELEN 
GOODMAN, 96, of 
West Bloomfield, 
died May 26, 2022. 
She is survived 
by her sons and 
daughters-in-law, 
Walter and Harriet 
Goodman of 
Farmington Hills, 
Dennis and Denise 
Goodman of West Bloomfield; 
brother, Bernard Kessler; 
brother-in-law, Louis Schwartz; 
grandchildren, Danielle and 
Aaron Berman, Zachary and 
Alex Goodman, Evan and 
Laurie Goodman, Arianna 
Goodman; great-grandchildren, 
Elle Hudson Berman, Penelope 
Goodman; many loving nieces, 
nephews and other relatives and 
friends. 
Mrs. Goodman was the 
beloved wife of the late Ralph 
Goodman; dear sister and sis-
ter-in-law of the late Michael 
and the late Jenna Kessler, the 
late Magda Kessler, the late 
Shari Schwartz.
Contributions may be made 
to Holocaust Memorial Center, 
28123 Orchard Lake Road, 
Farmington Hills, MI 48334; 
Jewish Family Service, 6555 W
. 
Maple Road, West Bloomfield, 
MI 48322; or Congregation 
B’nai Moshe, 6800 Drake Road, 
West Bloomfield, MI 48322. A 
graveside service was held at 
Oakview Cemetery in Royal 
Oak. Arrangements by Hebrew 
Memorial Chapel.

RUTH 
GREENBAUM, 99, 
of Bloomfield 
Hills, died May 29, 
2022. 
Mrs. 
Greenbaum was the beloved 
wife of the late Arnold 
Greenbaum; sister of the late 

Sarah (the late Paul) Agree 
and the late Bertha (the late 
Morris) Berry; sister-in-law 
of the late Eleanor (the late 
Melvin) Nord and the late 
Helen (the late Earle) Kanners; 
loving aunt of Sheldon and 
Barbara Berry, Sandra Reva 
(Jim) Hendin, the late David 
and the late Patricia Agree, 
Karen (Dr. Jeff) Kraft, Ken 
Kanners (Diana), Donald 
Nord (Karen) and Edward 
Nord (Barbara); great-aunt 
of Paul Agree, Mark Agree 
(partner, Anita Salayon), 
Gary Hendin (Tara), Steven 
Hendin (Kolleen), Lisa Littell, 
Aimee (Matthew) Spatzner, 
Elissa (Chet) Evans, Rachel 
(Scott) Robbins, Amanda 
Kanners, Jaclyn (Russ) Coskey, 
Ilene (Rick) Honis and fam-
ily, Cheryl Nord and family, 
and Rick Nord and family; 
great-great-aunt of Katelyn 
Littell, Jessica Littell, Alex 
Littell, Sarahfay Hendin, Drew 
Hendin, Cole Hendin, Mason 
Hendin, Madison Salayon, 
Andrew Spatzner, Margot 
Spatzner, twins Ales Evans 
and Ivy Evans, Milo Robbins, 
Noah Robbins and Grant 
Coskey; longtime friend and 
business partner of the late 
Calvin Gonek. She is also sur-
vived by dear friends Margaret 
and William Yee, Kim and 
Menish Baxi and family, Lisa 
and Tom Desjardin, Teresa 
and Stefan Tomaszewski, and 
Maxine Ricketts; Dakota, “the 
best dog ever.”
Interment was at Oakview 
Cemetery. Contributions 
may be made to Leader 
Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 
5000, Rochester, MI 48308-
5000, leaderdog.org; or to 
any animal rescue league. 
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman 
Chapel.

