SOUL
OF BLESSED MEMORY
Leader in the Law
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udge Alice Lee Gilbert, 88, of Bloomfield Hills, died Dec. 9, 2020. “Trailblazer” is the most fitting moniker attributable to Judge Alice Lee Gilbert. Her trailblazing cut across many paths, and the paths she blazed are more aglow now than ever. Back when the glass ceiling was made of marble, she smashed all gender barriers. Growing up in the Chicago area, she resolved that she would attend the best college possible and moved across the country. Majoring in political science and economics, she attended Wellesley College, leaving in her last year for Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Judge Gilbert was a lifelong learner, and her post-graduate studies included work at the Harvard Graduate School of Public Administration (now Harvard Kennedy School), Wayne State University Law School (Go Warriors [then Tartars]!), University of Detroit Law School, University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and several courses at the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her trailblazing continued in law school, where she was just one of two women. She was a bright and determined lawyer who resolved to make her mark and go her own way. Bucking all custom, when she married she maintained her surname and in 1957 sued to practice law under her given surname rather than her married name. Out of the courtroom, she was a founding member of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for Women, the first female member of the Oakland County Bar Association and a founder of the Oakland County Women’s Bar Association. Judge Gilbert became the third woman
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elected as a circuit court judge in the history of the state of Michigan and the first in Oakland County. Alice Gilbert Over the course of her career, she presided over 110,000 cases. As impressive a resume as that is, it hardly reveals the woman. She was a voracious traveler, including climbing the Andes Mountains and going on expeditions to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Russia, China and Africa. She remarked to a newspaper, “I started with a philosophy that I have one goal — living my life. That’s family and career. I never divided it,” Judge Gilbert was the beloved wife of the late Murray P. Greenblatt and the late Dr. Herbert J. Bloom; cherished mother of Gwen Gilbert, Greg (Carolynn) Gilbert and Dean (Christina) Greenblatt; loving grandmother of Ariel Zekelman, Leah Zekelman, Jonah Zekelman, Andrew Gilbert, Jennifer (Michael) McManus, Julia Gilbert, Katherine Greenblatt, David Greenblatt and Allison Greenblatt; sister of the late Henry Gilbert; daughter of the late Rebecca and the late Alfred Gilbert. She is fondly remembered by many friends and colleagues. Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, jewishhospice. org; or Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, holocaustcenter.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
PRISCILLA “PRISSY” BACHAIOV, 84, of Farmington Hills, died Dec. 11, 2020. c. 1956 She was a very talented person: a singer, actress, comedian and artist. Priscilla was a warm, loving, welcoming and fun individual; she cooked fabulously and loved to feed her family and friends great Jewish and Bukharian dishes. She was also a talented singer and actress, who loved to laugh and entertain her family and friends. In addition, she taught bar and bat mitzvah classes at Temple Kol Ami and Hebrew at Congregation Beth Ahm and Congregation Beth Achim. Mrs. Bachaiov is survived by her children, Claire and Jeff Past Epstein of West Bloomfield, Mark Bachaiov of West Bloomfield, Abby and Randy McBride of Van Nuys, Calif., Sherri and Dr. Jerry Nosanchuk of West Bloomfield; brother and sisters-in-law, Haskell and Barbara Adler of Southfield, Sandy Adler; brother-in-law, Shlomo Duben; grandchildren, Aaron and Kristina Ratajczak Epstein, Chad Epstein, Carli Epstein, Jacob Taft, Ruthy McBride, Charley McBride, Max Nosanchuk; great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Epstein, Alana Epstein; many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and many others who called her “Bubbie” out of love. Mrs. Bachaiov was the devoted daughter of the late Cantor Hyman Adler and the late Ruth Adler; dear mother-in-law of the late Alan Epstein; loving sister and sister-in-law of the late Shana Duben, the late Usher Adler. Contributions may be made to Hebrew Benevolent
Society, a charity of one’s choice, or Chabad of Commerce. A graveside service was held at B’nai Israel Memorial Gardens in Novi. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. STEVEN BENJAMIN BAKER, 52, of Bedford, Texas, died Dec. 13, 2020. He was known as the “Cookie Man” for his baking gourmet cookies and his distribution of them to friends and teachers at Marsha and Robert’s school. Mr. Baker is survived by his wife of 25 years, Marsha Baker; son, Robert Ross; brothers and sisters-in-law, Brian and Barbara Baker, Michael and Rachel Baker; mother-in-law, Elaine Beresh. He was the loving son of the late David and the late Ruth Baker; dear son-in-law of the late Larry Beresh. Contributions may be made to The Shul, 6890 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; or Jewish Senior Life, 6710 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322. A graveside service was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. SALLY ANN (ROSENBLOOM) BELSON, of Delray Beach, Fla., formerly of Southfield/ Bloomfield Hills, passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2020, with her loving family and friends by her side. Sally grew up in Southfield, attended Southfield High School, Eastern Michigan University, University of Michigan and Wayne State. earning bachelor of arts and master’s in social work. She met and married the
