64 | APRIL 11 • 2024
D
r. Michael Sherwin Parr,
82, of Sacramento, Calif.,
formerly of Detroit, died on
March 25, 2024.
Born in Detroit,
Michael grew up
surrounded by a lot of
family as well as close
friends who remain so
to this day. He was quite
an accomplished athlete,
playing various sports.
As a teenager, Michael went to
work in his father’s dry-cleaning
business, Parr French Cleaners, in
Detroit. In 1958, Michael graduated
from Mumford High School and then
attended University of Michigan,
along with some of the same close
friends from childhood, all of whom
became doctors. Michael fast-tracked
to a medical degree in seven years,
later completing his residency as an
OB/GYN in Detroit.
Along with his first wife,
Jacqueline, and their two sons,
Howard and Stuart, Michael moved
to Sacramento, Calif., to serve at
Mather Air Force Base. Just before
an intended move back to Detroit,
Michael was offered a job at the
U.C. Davis Medical Center and he
remained in Sacramento. A few short
years after moving to Sacramento,
Michael and Jackie had a daughter,
Wendy.
Michael moved into a private
medical practice at American River
Hospital. He later married his second
wife, Elizabeth “Libby,
” whom he
had met in kindergarten at Roosevelt
Elementary. Along with Libby’s son,
Jamie, and daughter, Robin, the
family grew in size and closeness.
Michael then took the bravest step
of his life in getting treatment for
addiction. More than 40 years sober
at his death, he always said it was his
proudest achievement. He became
board-certified in addiction and
helped thousands of people overcome
their addictions. It is not uncommon
to meet someone at an event or on
an airplane who was either delivered
as a baby by Michael or counseled
to sobriety by him. He lived a life of
tremendous impact, winning many
awards along the way, including
Sacramento Person of the Year.
Aside from many volunteer
activities, Michael was involved with
the National Basketball Association.
For 25 years, he worked with the
all the Rookies, helping them with
learning about drug and alcohol
abuse issues. He also mentored
many of them on adjusting to their
new-found success. Often, at his
beloved Sacramento Kings home
games, many of the players would
approach him with hugs and thanks
of gratitude.
For the past nine years, Michael
has been with his partner, Beth
Harney. She and her son, Austin, and
daughter, Sarah, have been a bedrock
of care for Michael when he faced
health challenges of his own. Through
it all, Michael continued to provide
counseling to addicts and alcoholics
throughout the world, always saying,
“It is my purpose in life.
”
Michael was predeceased by his
parents David and Bertha; sister,
Maxine; and his wife, Elizabeth Parr.
He is survived by his partner,
Beth Harney; children, Howard
(Gina) Parr, Stuart Parr (partner
Ozlem), Wendy (Caroleen) Parr,
Jamie (Lisa) Miller, Robin (David)
Cahayla; Beth’s children, Sarah
(Remko) Van Den Toorn and Austin
Harney (fiancée, Alexis Bibler); his
eight grandchildren, Riley, Nicole,
Dylan, Carter, Claire, Harper, Teo
and Kennedy; sister-in-law, Ruthanne
(Arvin) Pearlman; brother-in-law,
Michael (Linda Seltzer-Sucher)
Pickman. Michael had many friends
and family in Detroit and throughout
the country.
Michael was interred in
Sacramento. Contributions may be
made to The Retreat, theretreat.org,
(866) 928-3434; or a charity of your
choice.
He Impacted Many
OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY
Dr. Michael
Sherwin
Parr
survived by her caregiver-friends, Theresa, Car,
Lisa, Marlo and Kasha, and all the staff and her
friends at Meer, who meant the world to her.
Mrs. Ehrlichman was the beloved wife of the
late Howard Ehrlichman; the special sister of
the late Henny and the late Martin Spector; the
loving aunt of the late Anita Mellen; the dear
daughter of the late Erna and the late Joachim
Koenigsberg.
Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to Jewish Senior
Life of Metropolitan Detroit, 6710 W. Maple
Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, jslmi.org;
Zekelman Holocaust Center, 28123 Orchard
Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, holo-
caustcenter.org/tributes; JARC, 6735 Telegraph,
Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, jarc.org/
give; or Brighton Hospice, 26075 Woodward
Ave., Suite 300, Huntington Woods, MI 48009,
brightonhospice.com. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
HELEN GOTTLIEB, 84, of
Franklin, died March 29, 2024.
She is survived by her daughters
and sons-in-law, Lisa and Steve
Rotter, and Susie Gottlieb and Jeff
Davis; grandchildren, Jacob Rotter
and Michelle Sheyman, and Maxwell and
Hannah Rotter, Joshua Davis and Sophie Davis;
brother, Howard Hack; sister-in-law, Arlene
Licht; nieces and nephews, Stacy and David
Gordon, Mindy and Jimmy Aronovitz, Lainy and
David Mackey, and Darcy and Jason Eisenberg.
Mrs. Gottlieb was the beloved wife for 51 years
of the late Stewart Gottlieb; the dear sister-in-law
of the late Ron Licht; the devoted daughter of the
late Teresa and the late Philip Hackelman; the
loving daughter-in-law of the late William Simon
and the late Jeanette Gottlieb.
Interment was at Oakview Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels,
National Council of Jewish Women, 26400
Lahser Road, Suite 306, Southfield, MI 48033,
ncjwmi.org; or Friendship Circle, Meer Family
Friendship Center, 6892 W. Maple Road, West
Bloomfield, MI 48322, friendshipcircle.org/
donate. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
ARLENE GREER, 80, of Novi, died April 4,
2024.
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-
law, Barry and Linda Greer; sister, Vickie Panter;
niece and nephews, Ilynn and Daniel Metz, and
Ian Panter; great-niece and great-nephew, Harley
Rose Metz and Jenner Greer Metz.
Ms. Greer was the devoted daughter of the late
Harry and the late Goldie Greer.
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