14 | OCTOBER 26 • 2023 

continued from page 12

OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY

and numerous honors, her 
greatest joy was her family. 
She embraced every member 
of her large, blended family, 
regardless of origin. She 
knew everything about every 
child, grandchild and great-
grandchild and attended 
every milestone event. 
“She made sure every 
family member knew how 
much she loved them; 
grandkids, nieces and 
nephews,” Aviv said.
Of all the legacies she 
passed on, this was the most 
important. Throughout 
their lives, she and her 
sisters, Micki and Sondra, 
maintained the close 
relationship they developed 
as children. 
“Her priority was always 
her family. I’ve continued that 
and made it my priority,” said 
daughter, Lisa Lis, a longtime 
supporter of numerous 
charitable causes in the U.S. 
and Israel, along with her 
husband, Hannan.
Florine encouraged her 
children to go beyond their 
perceived limits because she 
believed everyone had the 
potential to do more. While 
she expected a lot, she gave 
back more in return. 
The most important 
things she instilled were 
the importance of family, 
community and tzedakah 
[charity],” said her daughter, 
Sheri. “She made a difference 
every day of her life, from 
saying hello to a stranger to 
donating money for a new 
hospital wing.”
Florine was a true 
fashionista with her own 
inimitable style and a laugh 
that came straight from her 

heart. She was the first to call 
family members and friends 
on their birthdays, and she 
ended every phone call, note 
and text with her hallmark, 
“Love, love, love.” 
She enjoyed hosting 
dinners for family, friends 
and an ever-changing 
assortment of guests, where 
she would pass around a 
microphone and 
have each person 
introduce themselves 
and answer a random 
“get-to-know-you” 
question.
Her vacation home 
in Omena was her 
happy place, a haven 
for Florine and the 
countless friends 
and family members 
who joined her every 
summer to enjoy the 
lake and northern 
Michigan tranquility. 
Her sudden death 
came as a shock 
because Florine never 
thought about death; 
she was too busy 
making the most of 
every moment of her 
incredibly full life.
“She loved life so much and 
people so much,” said Lisa.

GIVING BACK TO 
THE COMMUNITY 
Florine believed strongly in 
supporting the organizations 
in her community and 

elsewhere, especially those 
concerned with health and 
women’s rights. She served on 
numerous boards, including 
Children’s Hospital of 
Michigan, Detroit Institute 
for Children, Business 
Leaders of Michigan, 
Detroit Regional Chamber, 

Henry Ford Health System, 
University of Michigan 
Cardiovascular Center, 
Women of Tomorrow, the 
Michigan Fitness Foundation, 
the Governor’s Council on 
Physical Fitness, Health and 
Sports and the Weizmann 
Institute of Science, among 
many others. 
She was chair of the 
Detroit Branch of the Federal 
Reserve Board of Chicago 
and an elected member of 
the Women’s Leadership 
Board at Harvard University’s 
John F. Kennedy School 
of Government, where she 
helped women advance in 
national and international 
leadership and public policy. 

RIGHT: For many years, 
Florine did a segment on 
WDIV-TV focused on healthy 
eating and living.
BELOW: Florine’s book, 
written to help women feel 
better about themselves.

