SAMUEL GREENBLATT

Age 78, of Walled Lake, died August 17, 2012. Funeral service will be held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel in Oak Park. Family Info: Beloved husband for 55 years to Helen Greenblatt. Devoted father of Harry(the late Mary Claire) Greenblatt, Phillip (Susan) Greenblatt, Julia Greenblatt and the late Paula Greenblatt. Proud grandfather of Sarah, Andrew, and Olivia Cherished brother of David (the late Sylvia) Green, Leah (the late Stanley) Berenstein, Helen (Bernie) Press, Jack (Edith) Greenblatt and Freda Enchin, the late Louis (the late Sadie) Greenblatt, the late Sadie (the late Benjamin) Fishman, the late Sydney (the late Reva) Green and the late Usher( the late Mary) Greenblatt. Also survived by loving and devoted nieces, nephews, other family members and numerous friends. Youth Hockey Advocate For more than four decades, virtually anyone who has played ice hockey in Michigan has been touched by the leadership, compassion, and kindheartedness of Sam Greenblatt, who left his mark on thousands of amateur athletes, coaches, and officials. Born in Toronto, Canada, in 1933, he was the youngest of ten children of Harry and Miriam Greenblatt. He moved to Detroit at age 12 following the death of his father. Sam attended Cass Technical High School and went on to serve as a sergeant in the U.S. Army and then to become a printer by trade. He married Helen Pollack in 1956 and had four children with her. Sam and Helen raised their family in Oak Park and eventually moved to Southfield and then to Walled Lake. Mr. Greenblatt served as founder and president of the Oak Park Hockey Association and the South Oakland Hockey League, and as a founding member of the Wolverine Junior Hockey League. He organized and operated many state, national, and international tournaments and held leadership positions with the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association, including 12 years as director. �Whatever my father touched, he took it to the highest level,� said son Harry Greenblatt. �At hockey meetings, I often saw people hug him, thank him, praise him, and explain how his good deeds had a positive impact on someone's life.� Sam was instrumental in the development of thousands of ice hockey coaches as a founding member of the USA Hockey Coaching Achievement Program, which initially presented coaching clinics throughout Michigan and then served as a model that is now followed nationwide. He also raised money and provided equipment for underprivileged players, served on the USA Hockey nationwide Diversity Task Force, and was a longtime supporter of a program that offers hockey to children from low-income homes in Detroit. Sam once said that his involvement with inner-city kids in 33 hockey programs nationwide � many of whom had never laced up a pair of skates until he came along � was among the greatest thrills of his life. Mr. Greenblatt served as a scout for the U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team and was involved in projects with the National Hockey League to promote amateur hockey. He oversaw the selection of top amateur and professional hockey players and coaches for the Maccabiah Games in Israel, and was inducted into the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. As a member of the USA Hockey Safety and Protective Equipment Committee, he studied hockey at all levels not only to reduce injuries, but also to address societal issues such as infectious diseases, drug abuse awareness, and bullying. He was known by family and friends as warm, generous, unselfish, and tolerant, inclusive of all regardless of race, religion, or background. Throughout his life, he developed lasting friendships with people from all walks of life. The Greenblatt home was always open to everyone, where simple kindness, a hot meal, and even a place to sleep made others feel welcome and cared for regardless of the time or circumstances. �Growing up, I saw my father share everything he had with everyone he knew,� said son Harry. �Anything that anybody ever needed, he would get it for them. He would give you his last dollar.� For Sam, relationships were the key to success in life. �Almost every day, people called from all over the United States and throughout the world for his advice and mostly to thank him for the help he had given to them,� said daughter Julia Greenblatt. �Throughout my life, I have seen an ongoing outpouring of genuine love and admiration for my father.�

SAMUEL GREENBLATT

August 20, 2012

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SAMUEL GREENBLATT

August 20, 2012

Obituary Notification

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