JUNE 1 • 2023 | 51

charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements by the 
Dorfman Chapel.

RITA LEVITT, 
97, of West 
Bloomfield, died 
May 24, 2023. 
She is survived 
by her sons and 
daughters-in-law, Dr. Brian 
and Kathy Levitt, Dr. Jeffrey 
and Tracy Levitt, and Jay 
Levitt; grandchildren, Gregory 
Levitt and his fiancee, Nicole 
Brand, Lauren Levitt, and 
Adam Levitt; many loving 
nieces and nephews. 
Mrs. Levitt was the beloved 
wife of the late Howard Levitt; 
the adoring grandmother of 
the late Alexander Levitt; the 
loving sister of the late Fred 

and the late Ida Herbst, and 
the late Dr. Harold and the 
late Joanne Herbst. 
Interment was at Clover Hill 
Park Cemetery. Contributions 
may be made to Kresge Eye 
Institute, 4717 St. Antoine, 
Detroit, MI 48201, kresgeeye.
org; or to a charity of one’s 
choice. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel.

MARTHA 
SANDOZ 
OLEINICK, of 
Ann Arbor, died 
May 5, 2023, sur-
rounded by her 
children and grandchildren. 
Martha came to Ann Arbor 
after graduating from Reed 
College in the late 1950s. 
She loved Reed and was a 

life-long “Reedi.” She then 
graduated from the University 
of Michigan; and, after living 
elsewhere, like many, found 
her way back. She proudly 
made her home in the Ann 
Arbor area for the remainder 
of her life. Martha’s last days 
were spent surrounded by 
family and people who have 
grown to be like family.
In true Martha style, she 
left an important papers fold-
er that included the perfect 
source material for her eulogy, 
service and obituary. One of 
the most unique pieces was 
her Ethical Will. Her action 
and foresight of putting 
together the collection of 
papers from which her chil-
dren were able to read to her 
at her bedside was a source of 

strength.
Her positivity and optimism 
were radical acts of defiance. 
She remained full of kind-
ness and smiles until the day 
she died. She ascribed her 
incredible pleasant disposition 
to simply fulfilling the com-
mandment in the Torah to be 
joyful.
Martha brought the “glass 
half full” philosophy to the 
many community-service 
and professional roles she 
held throughout her life; 
working with her M.A. in 
sociology at the National 
Institute of Health, during 
her presidencies of both 
Beth Israel Congregation’s 
Sisterhood and the Ann Arbor 
Chapter of Hadassah and to 
her longtime professional 

continued on page 52

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