After Co-Founder’s Death, Roeper Students Urged to ‘Make the World a Better Place’

Students and staff at the Roeper Middle and Upper School campus remember Annemarie Roeper at morning tribute.

The legacy of the late Roeper School co-founder Annemarie Roeper weighed heavily on everyone’s minds at the school’s middle and upper school campus Tuesday morning. “We are the safeguards of (Roeper’s) philosophy,” senior Gavin Buckley said. “We’re here now to make the world a better place.” Middle and upper school teachers, administrators and students gathered at the Birmingham campus Tuesday morning to honor Roeper, who passed away Friday in California at the age of 93. Even more importantly, Tuesday was a time for the Roeper community to remember and reaffirm Roeper’s educational philosophy and how it continues to shape the lives of Roeper students. Durning the 45 minute tribute to Roeper, students, staff and Roeper’s friends stood up …

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Tributes and Stories: Annemarie Roeper, 93, is Remembered Fondly

Alumni, teachers, students and friends remembered Annemarie Roeper, who founded The Roeper School with husband, George. Roeper died Friday at age 93.

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Alan Stamm

11:34 am on Monday, May 14, 2012

David Feldman, chosen five months ago as Roeper's head of school (starting this July), was among applicants who spoke with the co-founder. In a tribute on the school's site [http://bit.ly/LJrGkJ], he recalls visiting her twice. Excerpts: "I have always been drawn to people who value curiosity, and I’ve never met anyone who embodied the spirit of inquiry more than Annemarie. . . . While she had …   more ›

Tributes to Roeper School Co-Founder Flow Online from Alumni Around the Country

Bloomfield Hills lawyer praises Annemarie Roeper, 93, as "a force for good." Graduates will gather Saturday afternoon in Birmingham.

Graduates of The Roeper School from coast to coast are posting poignant recollections online to honor educator Annemarie Roeper, co-founder of the innovative private school. She died Friday morning at 93 in an assisted living facility in Oakland, CA, where she had lived since 2009. Roeper had been diagnosed with colon cancer in late 2010 and was under hospice care since last October, a family statement says. "The magnitude of her impact is evident by the huge outpouring displayed here," adds an update at a CaringBridge.org site set up two weeks ago, where more than 270 messages are posted. "I am so thankful her legacy is so well-rooted and flourishing," says a Friday night post there from Suzanne Heron, a Roeper Lower School student from …

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Alan Stamm

8:07 am on Monday, May 14, 2012

New trio worth sharing from the family's tribute page at CaringBridge.org: * Mary Kay Glazek, Bloomfield Hills (Roeper English teacher): "What a life, what a wonderful life! Annemarie's presence will not soon fade." * Sally Lyon, Utah (education consultant): "Annemarie was fearless in facing new technology and being a guest expert for one of my online conferences. She was fearless in traveling …   more ›

Visitation for Legendary Seaholm Coach Kermit Ambrose is Friday

Birmingham high school's former long-time track and cross country coach was 101 when died at a Bloomfield Hills nursing center.

Visitation for the acclaimed Seaholm High School track and cross country coach Kermit Ambrose is Friday. Ambrose was 101 years old when he died Monday. Ambrose, who was living at the Woodward Hills Nursing Center in Bloomfield Hills, retired in 1977.   Born in Pierce, NE, Ambrose was one of the founders of the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association (MITCA) and led the Seaholm boys cross country team to state titles in 1959 and 1963. Ambrose is also a member of the Michigan Hall of Fame, where he is the namesake for that body's "Kermit Ambrose Award." He was also a member of the Catholic League Hall of Fame. Several meets and races throughout Metro Detroit have been since named in his honor, including the annual Kermit Ambrose …

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Alan Stamm

1:53 pm on Saturday, March 3, 2012

Update from Gigi Koury to a local social media group: "The funeral today was packed, and they gave him military honors. Two- time Olympian and Seaholm alum Jack Bacheler spoke. Kermit will be so missed." The eulogist she mentions is a '62 Seaholm grad who ran track and played basketball. After graduating from Miami University of Ohio, he ran in the '68 and '72 Olympics. Now 67, Bacheler flew up …   more ›

Groves Mourns Loss of Senior Damien Dorre – Artist, Movie Lover, 'Kid at Heart'

Damien Dorre, 17, a senior at Groves and the Oakland Schools Technical Campus, died Friday; grief counselors will be available for students all week.

The Groves High School community returned from midwinter break Monday to shocking and sad news: Senior Damien Dorre, 17, of Southfield died on Friday.  In addition to taking classes at Groves, Dorre also attended Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Waterford. He was inducted into the school's National Technical Honor Society last spring. In an email to parents and students Sunday night, Groves principal Fred Proctor said the death was "sudden and unexpected," though the cause of death has not been released. According to his obituary on the A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home website, Dorre was a "kid at heart" that loved tacos, fishing, bow hunting, Frisbee golf, bike rides, Skittles and old school Nintendo games. A talented artist, Dorre was…

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Derby Middle School Mourns Beloved Sixth-Grade Teacher

The funeral for Renee Flennoy is set for 1 p.m. Friday at Hope United Methodist Church in Southfield; Derby will let out early Friday to allow students and staff to attend.

Renee Flennoy, a sixth-grade language arts, reading and social studies teacher at Derby Middle School in Birmingham, died Sunday after a long battle with health issues. Flennoy, 54, had been on medical leave from Derby since October. The Novi resident leaves behind her husband, Grant, and her two college-age children, Grant Jr. and Khristen. Flennoy's funeral is set for 1 p.m. Friday at Hope United Methodist Church, 26275 Northwestern Highway in Southfield, with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m. To allow students and staff to attend the funeral, Derby will have a half-day of school Friday, Derby Principal Debbie Hubbell announced Tuesday. Since Flennoy went on medical leave, the middle school has held several fundraisers for her, …

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Local Reaction to Steve Jobs' Death Demonstrates Apple's Impact

Apple co-founder died Wednesday, leaving behind a legacy that changed the way people communicate and broke down workplace barriers.

The news of the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on Wednesday sent shock waves across the Internet during the evening, as millions of people reflected on the impact that he and his products had on everyday consumers. "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an email sent Wednesday evening to all Apple employees, including those at Somerset Collection's Apple store. Locally, on Twitter and Facebook, people shared their favorite Apple products and reflected on how different their lives would be without the products Jobs' vision helped create. On Rochester Patch's Facebook page, Katie Webb wrote: "I read about his passing on my MacBook and then called my …

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Derby Math Teacher Dies After Year-Long Battle With Cancer

Teacher and Birmingham resident Redi Abazi passed away Monday afternoon after battling stomach cancer for more than a year.

Redi Abazi, an 8th grade math teacher from Derby Middle School and Birmingham resident, died in his home Monday afternoon after a year-long battle with stomach cancer. Abazi, 32, who has been with the district since 2006, was diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer in March 2010. Abazi leaves behind his wife Lindsay of nine years and three children: Tommy (5), Sarah (3) and Matthew (21 months). A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield, with a visitation to be held at 9:30 a.m. According to Faye Thomas, ministries director for Highland Park, Abazi's death wasn't entirely unexpected and the family had been preparing for some time. Lindsay Abazi said that while the moment was …

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Community Gathers to Celebrate the Life of Seaholm Coach Nick Deane

"He was my coach from the moment I was born to the moment he passed away," said his son Joshua. At home and on the football field, Deane left a large footprint in the hearts of everyone who knew him.

More than 700 friends, family members, colleagues and football players poured into the Woodside Bible Church in Troy on Saturday to pay tribute to the memory of beloved football coach, mentor, family man and church member Nick Deane. Deane, 52, a Troy resident and the recently appointed head football coach for Seaholm High School, died of a heart attack on May 30. He left behind many loved ones, including his high school sweetheart and wife, Timari, and four children, Moriah, 10; Jordan, 16; Jared, 25; and Joshua, 29. Joshua Deane’s son Joshua was Deane’s only grandchild, and was the “twinkle in his eye.” “The quality of my dad is not something I can fully describe in words," said Joshua, who spoke at the funeral. "His shoulders were …

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