APRIL 6 • 2023 | 69
J
erry Green,
a legendary
sportswriter in
Michigan, first at the
Associated Press and later
at The Detroit News, who
was the only reporter to
cover each of the first
56 Super Bowls, died on
March 23, 2023. He was
94.
In February 2020, Green
officially became the last
reporter to see all of the Super Bowls,
having outlasted Jerry Izenberg,
a retired sports columnist for the
Newark Star-Ledger.
Green announced the end of his
own streak in January 2023.
“To me, a proud honorable streak,”
Green wrote in announcing he would
not be covering Super Bowl LVII.
“Hard work. A bit of notoriety, lots of
deadlines — and dead ideas.”
Green joined the News in 1963
and was the Lions beat writer from
1965-72, at which point he shifted
to a columnist role he kept until his
official retirement in 2004. He kept
writing occasionally for the News,
including week-long coverage of the
Super Bowl through 2020.
“Jerry was an icon at the News and
among sports writers,” said Gary
Miles, editor and publisher of the
News. “And he was unabashedly proud
of the paper, his contributions and
his colleagues. He gave us his all, and
we’ll miss him.”
Before the News, Green was at the
Associated Press’ Detroit bureau,
where he saw the Lions win the 1957
NFL championship. Green believed
he was the only writer who covered
championships for all four major
professional teams in Detroit: the
Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons.
“We are saddened to hear of the
passing of former Detroit News
columnist Jerry Green,” the Lions
wrote in a team statement. “Jerry’s
work ethic, professionalism and
commitment to his craft made a
significant impact on journalism
within the city of Detroit and around
the country for more than a half-
century.
“Jerry’s dedication to covering the
NFL was perhaps best reflected in
his unprecedented streak of covering
56 consecutive Super Bowls over the
course of his career. His work was
instrumental in promoting the game
of football and expanding interest in
the NFL. We extend our thoughts and
prayers to the Green family and all
who knew him.”
While at the News, Green was
named Michigan’s sportswriter of the
year 10 times, was inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005 and
the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in
2003. He also authored eight books,
his first in 1969, and his last in 2008.
For years, Green and wife, Nancy,
split their time between Metro Detroit
and Palm Desert, California. Nancy
died of breast cancer in 2002, and, in
2010, Jerry returned to Michigan full
time, living in Grosse Pointe.
Green is survived by his daughter,
Jenny Klein (Dave) and his
granddaughters Gretchen Klein
(fiance Nick Yormick) and Susannah
Klein.
Last year, Alan Muskovitz profiled
him for the Jewish News. You can read
the story at https://thejewishnews.
com/2022/03/21/the-dean-of-super-
bowls-catching-up-with-legendary-
sportswriter-jerry-green.
A Legendary Sportswriter
Jerry
Green
Contributions may be made to
American Cancer Society, 20450
Civic Center Drive, Southfield, MI
48076; Jewish Family Services, 6555
W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48322; or Hebrew Benevolent
Society, 26640 Greenfield Road,
Oak Park, MI 48237. The funeral
service was held at Hebrew
Memorial Chapel. Interment took
place at Workmen’s Circle Cemetery
in Clinton Township. Arrangements
by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
LEON ZOLKOWER,
94, of Rockville, Md.,
formerly of Detroit,
died March 27, 2023.
Born in Havana,
Cuba, in 1928, Mr.
Zolkower emigrated to Detroit in
1941.
He is survived by his wife of
74 years, Barbara; his children,
Steven and Jan Zolkower, Nadyne
and Harold Linton, and Galit and
Bruce Kutz; grandchildren, Ronald,
Gregory, Joshua, Jonathan, Gabriel,
Hallie and their spouses; great-
grandchildren, Matthew, Ira, Jane,
Henry and Avi.
Interment was at Machpelah
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to Jewish War Veterans of the
U.S., 1811 R. St. NW, Washington,
DC 20009, jwv.org. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
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