Obituary: Charles Feder, 72
Charles Edward Feder, 72, was born in Newark, N.J., on Jan. 12, 1944, and died of lung cancer Monday, Feb. 29, 2016, at home in Atlanta, comforted by his loving wife, Carol Wien.
Mr. Feder recently retired from the practice of law, where he focused primarily on commercial real estate and affordable housing. He also worked as a Detroit city planner and assistant professor of sociology at Wilberforce University and Wilmington College. In Detroit, he was an active participant in electoral politics, community organization, urban economic development and affordable housing in furtherance of his interest in civil and human rights. Among his most treasured experiences was participation in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. He held a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a master’s from Purdue University and a J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.
Mr. Feder is the son of Joseph, of blessed memory, and Gertrude Feder. Other survivors include his adoring wife, Carol Wien; her children, Sydney (Howard) Katz and Joshua (Nicole) Wien, and grandchildren, Jonah, Madeline, Alex and Caroline; his brothers, Rick, Los Angeles, and Larry (Helen), Bellingham, Wash.; a son, Rob (Alicia), Detroit; niece Megan; nephew Alex (Tanya); and mother-in-law Mary Rosenberg, Boca Raton, Fla. (Charles A. Rosenberg, M.D., of blessed memory).
Charles was a gentle, modest, kind, intelligent, witty and adventurous man. He loved to read; listen to jazz; putter in his workshop, fixing all sorts of things; tromp in the woods; travel; garden; bird-watch; and go to films, concerts, museums, the theater and book talks. At the time of his death, Mr. Feder was writing a nonfiction book that will be an important contribution to the history of the rural South, a murder mystery still unsolved, and a testament to the South’s Gothic reputation. Mr. Feder and his wife, Carol, adored each other during their blissful 18 years together. They traveled to England, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Turkey and Canada.
During the last stage of his illness, Mr. Feder fulfilled his wish of owning a mischievous puppy, whose name was Jack Sparrow. Mr. Feder was brave in the face of death and tried to remain cheerful to the end but regretted that he smoked in his younger years, as that deadly addiction robbed him of future years with his beloved wife and family. His family and friends are heartbroken and grieve his untimely loss yet remember him with a blessing and a prayer that his suffering is now over. May he rest in peace among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. The family wishes to extend a special thanks to the wonderful caregivers of Weinstein Hospice.
Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 9, at Temple Sinai with Rabbi Brad Levenberg officiating. Donations may be made to the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
comments