Upcoming Services
| Marge Samson |
Sun May 5th at 1:30 IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL | |
| Louise Glattstein Oram |
Sun Apr 28th at 1:30 IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL | |
| Doralee LeVine |
Sun Apr 28th at 12:00 CHAPEL AT CLOVER HILL |
FUNERAL DETAILS
Irene Walt
Irene Walt, 91, of Huntington Woods, Michigan, died on 03 August 2015. The Funeral was held at IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL on Thursday, 06 August 2015 at 10:30 AM . Rabbi Michael Moskowitz and Cantor Penny Steyer officiated. Click  to watch a video of the recorded service.Interment at Clover Hill Park Cemetery.
The family of Irene Walt will be gathering through the evening of Friday, August 07 at the residence of John Walt, 18432 Riverside Dr., Beverly Hills MI 48025. The phone number is 248-645-1826. Religious services will be held on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. Walt, Irene Lapping died on August 3, 2015 at the age of 91. She was the beloved wife of Dr. Alexander J. Walt, the loving mother of John, Steven and Lindsay and mother-in-law to Colin Thomson, and the extraordinarily proud 'Granny' to Eve Leonore, Aaron and Jack. Born in Bloemfontein South Africa to Jack and Bessie Lapping, she attended University of Witswatersrand before graduating from Athol Crescent School of Domestic Sciences. After World War II, she married her childhood sweetheart, Alec, and they moved first to England and then to Rochester, Minnesota to complete his medical studies before returning to South Africa. In 1961 they immigrated to Detroit with their children. Using her skills as a home economist, Irene taught countless Midwesterners how to cook fine French cuisine. She was a consummate hostess who entertained generations of medical students at her home in Huntington Woods with her own excellent cooking. Her interest in public art began in 1968, at the request of her late husband, when she embarked on improving the aesthetics and environment of Detroit Receiving Hospital, a decrepit downtown hospital where he worked. She begged, hounded and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. So began her new career as an advocate for art in public places. Happily she and her husband were inveterate travelers and combined his medical meetings with her art acquisitions. Besides consulting for the new Detroit Receiving Hospital (a collection of over 1000 artworks), she worked with the Detroit Medical Center, the People Mover Art In Stations Transit Project, the G.S.A. commissioned John Chamberlain sculpture, the Alexander J. Walt Breast Cancer Center and Henry Ford Hospital. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of Pewabic Pottery, the Greening of Detroit, and the Detroit Institute of Art. She co-authored two books; one on the art of healing and the other on People Mover Stations. Through her dedication she received numerous awards including the first Heart of Gold Award for community development in 1973, the Michiganian of the Year in 1982, and an honorary doctorate from Wayne State University in 1988. In 2003 she was honored at the 18th Annual ArtServe Governor's Awards for Arts and Culture. With great joy, she continued to work at DGRH well into her 86th year. Throughout her vibrant life, wherever she went, she collected a circle of interesting friends and was as generous with them as they were with her. She lived life large, loved entertaining and was one of the last to leave a good party. She was a tireless fan of her adopted city, Detroit, which she predicted would rise again to its former glory. Nothing suited her better than dining at a new restaurant downtown or driving through Belle Isle. It is suggested that those who wish to further honor the memory of Irene Walt may do so by making a contribution to: Wayne State University Department of SurgeryClick to Visit Charity Website or Pewabic PotteryClick to Visit Charity Website or Jewish Federation of DetroitClick to Visit Charity Website |