OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

M

arilyn Jane (Kopel) Katz, 94, 
peacefully passed away on Oct. 
26, 2022, after a wonderful and 
remarkable life. 
She was born in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1928, 
sharing a birthday with President Franklin 
D. Roosevelt, who was her idol. She was the 
youngest child of Joseph O. Kopel, M.D., 
and Gertrude E. Kopel, and grew up with 
her older brothers, Howard and Richard 
Kopel. 
Marilyn graduated from 
Central High School in 
Detroit and earned a B.A. 
from University of Michigan 
in 1949. She worked for the 
Jewish Federation in Detroit 
before meeting, in 1955, 
and marrying her husband, 
Sidney J. Katz, D.O., who 
was a pathology resident at 
Detroit Osteopathic Hospital. 
They were married in 1956 
and moved to Huntington 
Woods, where they raised 
their three children and 
where she resided for more 
than 60 years. 
After Sidney passed in 1987, she ulti-
mately became a snowbird and then a 
permanent resident of Palm Beach County, 
Florida, before moving to Longmont, 
Colorado, to be cared for by her daughter 
Rachel Katz and son-in-law John Warren.
Marilyn was beloved by all who knew her. 
She was one of the most generous and giv-
ing people anyone could have the pleasure 
of knowing. She had a very large network of 
friends and family and touched the lives of 
so many people. When dear friends Robert 
and Eleanor White both passed away at 
young ages, Marilyn and Sidney became 
“honorary parents” to their four children, 
Louis, Nathan, Abigail and Michael. She 
became a matriarch of their family and sur-
rogate grandmother to all their children as 
well as to her own. Her greatest pleasure in 
life was to help other people.
Marilyn was blessed with great health 
and vitality until just her last days. She rare-
ly took any medicine beyond herbal supple-
ments, except when undergoing chemother-
apy for breast cancer in the late 1970s. 
She loved being in nature, live music and 

had an open mind for listening. Marilyn 
was an avid tennis player, rollerblader in 
her 70s, skier and ping-pong player. She 
skied until she was 90 and played ping-
pong until last month. She came in second 
in a ping-pong tournament on a cruise ship 
at age 85, besting contestants 60-70 years 
younger. For the rest of the cruise, she was 
called “The Ping-Pong Lady” by the other 
passengers.
Marilyn was predeceased by her par-
ents, Joseph Oswald Kopel, 
M.D. (née Kopelovich) and 
Gertrude E. (Frank) Kopel; 
brothers, Howard F. Kopel 
and Richard M. Kopel; broth-
ers-in-law, Joseph R. Katz 
and George A. Slossman; sis-
ters-in-law, Sylvia (Grushko) 
Kopel, Anna D. (Katz) 
Slossman, Renee (Kroll) Katz, 
Mary (Antwarg) Katz; and 
grandson, Seth A. Horwitz.
Mrs. Katz is survived by 
brother-in-law, Frank F. 
Katz; sister-in-law, Karen 
(Kelty) Kopel; son, Michael 
E. Katz; daughter-in-law, 
Jodi A. (Schwartz) Katz of West Jordan, 
Utah; daughter, Rachel S. Katz; son-in-law, 
John C. Warren of Longmont, Colorado; 
daughter, Joan Katz Horwitz; son-in-law, 
Roger Auston of Wichita Falls, Texas; 
grandchildren, Elizabeth Katz and her 
husband, Zachary Kaufman, Alexis D. 
Katz and her husband, Shaun M. Tarzy, 
Shoshana D. Katz, Gabriel J. Warren, Jamie 
F. Warren, Zachary J. Horwitz and Celia 
E. Horwitz; great-granddaughter, Victoria 
Katz-Kaufman; many nieces and nephews, 
great-nieces and great-nephews; great-
great-nieces and great-great-nephews, cous-
ins and dear friends.
Contributions may be made to a char-
ity of choice or the Dr. Sidney J. Katz 
and Marilyn J. Katz Memorial Fund for 
Education at Congregation Beth Shalom, 
congbethshalom.org (designate the fund); 
the National Hospice Foundation, nation-
alhospicefoundation.org; the American 
Cancer Society, cancer.org; the Sierra Club, 
sierraclub.org. Interment was at Clover 
Hill Park Cemetery. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel. 

A Beloved Matriarch

64 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 

Marilyn Katz
c. 1988

HELEN FRANCES 
BAYLES, 94, of 
West Bloomfield, 
died Oct. 29, 
2022. 
Helen never 
missed son Kenneth’s high 
school swim meets or daugh-
ter Sharon’s events. She was a 
member and leader of many 
organizations: Adat Shalom 
Synagogue, B’nai Moshe 
Synagogue, Livonia Jewish 
Congregation, Farmington 
Glen Aquatic Club, Hadassah 
and Advocates for the 
American Osteopathic 
Association. 
Helen loved interacting 
with the local elementary 
school kindergarten children 
for many years. She played 
senior volleyball until she was 
almost 90.
Mrs. Bayles is survived 
by her son and daughter-
in-law, Dr. Kenneth and 
Shirley Bayles; daughter and 
son-in-law, Sharon and Dr. 
Gary Oppenheim; grand-
children, Benjamin Bayles, 
Zachary Oppenheim, Sarah 
Oppenheim and Andrew 
Ritchie; great-grandchildren, 
Jordan Bayles and Mason 
Bayles. She is also survived 
by her South American/
Uruguay family, Felix and 
Monica Cukerman, and their 
children. 
She was the beloved wife of 
the late Dr. Richard J. Bayles. 
Interment was at Adat 
Shalom Memorial Park. 
Contributions may be 
made to Adat Shalom 
Synagogue, 29901 Middlebelt, 
Farmington Hills, MI 48334, 
adatshalom.org/tributes; 
B’nai Moshe, 6800 Drake 
Road, West Bloomfield, 
MI 48322, bnaimoshe.org; 
or any educational institu-
tion. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel.