NOVEMBER 7 • 2024 | 47
OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY
HENRY BALBES, 98, of
Bloomfield Hills, died
Oct. 26, 2024.
He was the beloved
husband of Peggy Balbes
and the late Selma
Balbes. He is survived by his chil-
dren, Craig and Tina, Xorin and
Truman, and Barry and Pamela;
grandchildren, Jenny and Eric
Sweiden, Amy and Roman Morrow,
Jordan and Emily Balbes, Alan and
Eric Dritz, and Jake and Ali Balbes;
great-grandchildren, Blake, Maddie,
Cameron, Jayden, Teddy, Leo and
Sosie. He is also survived by Peggy’s
children and grandchildren, Andy
(the late Dave), Max, Hannah Dow
John and Raith, Ryann, Ian, Shane
Jacobson, Patty and Kenny, and
Spencer and Brett Robinson.
He was the loving brother of
the late Monte Balbes. Interment
was at Adat Shalom Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made
to Karmanos Cancer Foundation,
4100 John R, Detroit, MI 48201,
karmanos.org; or to a charity of
one’s choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
ETHEL GERSTEN, 89,
of Walled Lake, died
Oct. 29, 2024.
She is survived by
her sons and daugh-
ters-in-law, Michael
and Cindy Gersten, David and
Lori Gersten; daughter, Adrienne
Gersten; loving grandchildren, Dana
(Freddy) Hortick, Jordan (Rebecca)
Gersten and Carly (Melissa) Harris-
Gersten; adoring great-grandchil-
dren, Emerson, Everett, Mila, Ilan
and Elliott; sister-in-law, Marilyn
(Clifford) Weisberg; many loving
nieces, nephews, other family mem-
bers and friends.
Ethel was the beloved wife of
the late Philip Gersten; sister of
the late Martin Bogorad, the late
Herbie Bogorad and the late Annette
Bensman.
Interment was held at Adat
Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in
Livonia. Contributions may be made
to the Zekelman Holocaust Center,
the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network or to a charity of one’s
choice. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.
ALECIA HOLLAND,
67, of White Lake, died
Oct. 26, 2024.
She is survived by her
brother and sister-in-law,
Mark and Francine Wise;
uncles, Fred (Gail) Wax, Howard
(Hindi) Wax; loving niece and neph-
ews, Richelle (Warren) Frankford,
Erik (Jamie) Goodman, and Shaun
(Janelle) Goodman; great-nieces and
great-nephews, Ashlee and Mason
Frankford, Rebekah, Cameron and
Arabella Goodman, Makayla Gof,
and Liliana and Braelyn Goodman.
She is also survived by many special
aunts, uncles and cousins, and many
other loving family members and
friends.
Alecia was the beloved wife of the
late Joe Holland; mother of the late
Shawn Heaslip; daughter of the late
Marshall and Corinne Wise; niece
of the late Sheldon (the late Donna)
Wax.
Interment was held at the Adat
Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in
Livonia. Contributions may be made
to the American Heart Association
or to a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
WILLIAM ICIKSON,
98, of West Bloomfield,
died Oct. 21, 2024.
He is survived by his
son and daughter-in-law,
David and Lilly Icikson
of New York, N.Y.; daughter and
son-in-law, Leah and Richard Trosch
of Franklin; grandchildren, Zachary
and Deborah Trosch, Joshua
Trosch, Benjamin Trosch and Sarah
Marshall, Gabriel Icikson, Joseph
Icikson; great-grandchildren, Talia
Trosch, Kayla Trosch; many other
loving relatives and friends.
William was the beloved husband
of the late Esther Icikson.
Contributions may be made
to Magen David Adom (Israel’s
Emergency Medical Services
System), mdais.org/en/donation;
Jewish National Fund (Trees), 24100
Chagrin Blvd., Suite 430, Cleveland,
Ohio 44122. A funeral service
was held at Hebrew Memorial
Chapel. Interment took place at
Nusach Hari Cemetery in Ferndale.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.
FAY ISACKSON, 100, of
Farmington Hills, died Oct. 24,
2024.
She is survived by her daugh-
ters and sons-in-law, Ellen and
Jeffrey Kottler, and Phyllis and
Aharon Jeffrey Meer; son and
daughter-in-law, Robert and Marla
Isackson; grandchildren, Miriam
and Yaacov Aharon Amzalak, Cary
and Meredith Kottler, Tamar and
Chanoch Hadar, Arielle Isackson,
and Joshua Isackson; many
great-grandchildren. She is also
survived by her most special and
dedicated caregiver, Elaine Johnson,
and her staff.
Mrs. Isackson was the beloved
wife of the late Charles Isackson; the
loving sister of the late Sonia and
the late Murray Jacobs, and the late
Myron and the late Betty Dushkin;
the devoted daughter of the late
Helen and the late Max Dushkin.
Interment was at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Contributions may
be made to Hadassah, 40 Wall St.,
New York, NY 10005,
hadassah.org; Jewish Braille Institute
International, 110 E. 30th St., New
York, NY 10016, jbilibrary.org/
donate-now; or Congregation Beth
Shalom, 14601 W. Lincoln, Oak
Park, MI 48237,
congbethshalom.org. Arrangements
by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
DAVID KUSHMAR, 90, of West
Bloomfield, died Oct. 26, 2024.
He is survived by his sister, Janice
Kushmar of West Bloomfield. He
is also survived by Sandy and Walt
Milke, Shirley Malamud, Sister
Bonnie, Dalphine Lamb, Robert
Sullivan and other loving friends.
David was the loving son of the late
Harry and the late Dora Kushmar;
dear brother of the late Marilyn
Kushmar, the late Louis Kushmar, the
late Martha Kushmar, the late Aneale
Kushmar.
Contributions may be made
to Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy
Network, 6555 W
. Maple Road, West
Bloomfield, Mi 48322; or Yad Ezra,
2850 W
. 11 Mile Road, Berkley, MI
48072. A graveside funeral was held
at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.
GEORGE LEIKIN, 80, of
Bloomfield Hills, died
Oct. 28, 2024.
He is survived by his
wife of 57 years, Celia
Leikin; son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Andy and Karen Leikin;
daughter and son-in-law, Ilyssa and
Noel Cimmino; grandchildren, James
Meyer, Levi Leikin, Isabella Cimmino
and Jonah Cimmino.
Mr. Leikin was the devoted son
of the late Ezekiel and the late Bella
Leikin; the loving son-in-law of the
late Irv and the late Giglia Emmer.
Interment was at Machpelah
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to Magen David Adom,
3175 Commercial Ave., Suite 101,
Northbrook, IL 60062, afmda.org;
Alzheimer’s Association-Greater
Michigan Chapter, 25200 Telegraph
Road, Suite 100, Southfield, MI
48033, alz.org/gmc; or Heart to Heart
Hospice Foundation of Michigan,
30600 Telegraph Road, Suite
1131, Bingham Farms, MI 48025,
htohhfoundation.org/donation.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
continued on page 49