AUGUST 10 • 2023 | 61
D
elores Michael, 96, of Troy, died
July 15, 2023.
She passed away from natural
causes Saturday, July 15, 2023. Delores was
born on Jan. 13, 1927, in Detroit, to Irving
and Helen Rubin (who emigrated to the
United States from Russia and Lithuania,
respectively). She was the
younger sister of Norman.
Delores attended schools
in the Detroit area and, after
graduating high school, she
continued her education by
taking many college courses
in a variety of subjects.
At a USO party in Detroit
during World War II,
Delores met her future husband, Gerald
D. Michael; and they married on Aug. 20,
1946. They remained happily married for
72 years until Gerald passed away on May
17, 2019, from natural causes at the age
of 95. Delores and Gerald welcomed two
daughters during their long-term marriage,
Margery and Nancy Michael (aka Nancy
Chamberlain-Strupp). They later became
grandparents to Lisa Collinsworth and
great-grandparents to Lisa’s son, Tristen.
They were also stepgrandparents and
stepgreat-grandparents through the
marriage of Nancy to Paul Strupp (via
Paul’s son, Sean).
Delores was not only a wife, mother,
grandparent and great-grandparent, she
was also a loving sister, sister-in-law, aunt
and cousin. She adored her sisters-in-law,
Anne Rubin and the late Joy Levine; and
her late brother-in-law, Israel Levine. She
adored all her many nieces and nephews in
the Rubin and Levine family. Delores also
greatly enjoyed her many, many friends.
She was a very loving and caring “pet
mama” to her several dogs and cats (most
of whom were brought home to Delores by
her daughter, Nancy).
Delores was highly intelligent and
had a mind for seeking new ideas and
adventures. She traveled the world with
Gerald many, many times and luckily got
to visit most parts of the world at least
once, some beloved places, repeatedly.
The years of traveling the globe developed
in both Delores and Gerald a passion for
world affairs; Delores had a deep passion
for U.S. and Michigan politics.
During her life, Delores acted as
president of the Women’s Alpha Omega
organization. She and Gerald were active
on a long-term basis in that organization
and in the Alpha Omega Players group.
With the Players, they participated in
many different roles over the years (actor,
singer, dancer, writer, co-producer and/
or director). Delores always loved to sing,
loved to listen to music (and could play
the piano). She also loved to dance with
Gerald at their many social events; they
took years of individual ballroom dance
lessons to improve their dance steps and to
appear effortless.
Delores was adored during life and will
be greatly missed by all those who were
lucky to know her during her long life. Her
family and friends already miss her and
cherish the many memories they have of
her. May her soul rest in loving peace.
Mrs. Michael was the beloved wife of the
late Gerald D. Michael, DDS; cherished
mother of Margery J. Michael and Nancy
L. and Paul Chamberlain-Strupp; proud
grandmother of Lisa Collinsworth;
adoring great-grandmother of Tristen
Collinsworth. She is also survived by her
stepson and daughter-in-law, Sean and
Brenda Strupp and their children; sister-
in-law, Anne Rubin, and her children
and grandchildren; the children and
grandchildren of the late Joy and the late
Israel Levine. She was the loving sister of
the late Norman Rubin.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to ASPCA (The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), P.O.
Box 96929, Washington, D.C., 20090-
6929, aspca.org; International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews, 30 N. LaSalle St.,
Suite 2600, Chicago, IL 60602-3356, ifcj.
org; Jewish National Fund, 42 E. 69th St.,
New York, NY 10021, jnf.org; or Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, 3711 Woodward
Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-2444, tickets.dso.
org/support/donate. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
Life to the Fullest
Delores
Michael
Sisskind; his granddaughters,
Caitlin Hennessy and Alison
Hennessy; by his sister and
brother-in-law, Barbara and
Larry Cutler; and the family’s
own angel on earth, Robyn
Smith.
There will be a celebration
of life planned for a later
date. Contributions may be
made to National Kidney
Foundation of Michigan,
1169 Oak Valley Drive,
Ann Arbor, MI 48108,
nkfm.org/get-involved/giv-
ing. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
DR. DAVID JAY
TORBY, 73, of
Farmington Hills,
died Aug. 1, 2023.
He is survived
by his wife of 49
years, Joyce Torby; daughters
and sons-in-law, Alyssa and
Byron Hauck, and Michelle
and Michael Doa; sister and
brother-in-law, Linda and
Steve Sobel.
Dr. Torby was preceded in
death by his parents, Kenneth
and Mildred Torby.
Interment was at Clover
Hill Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made
to University of Michigan
School of Dentistry, Dept.
of Orthodontics, 1011 N.
University, Suite 1420, Ann
Arbor, MI 48109, dent.
umich.edu/alumni-giving#-
giving; SPCA of Southwest
Michigan, 6955 W. KL Ave.,
Kalamazoo, MI 48009,
spcaswmich.org/donate; or
American Heart Association,
26555 Evergreen Road, Suite
570, Southfield, MI 48076,
heart.org/en/affiliates/michi-
gan/detroit. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.