Michael Holtzman

Michael Holtzman, age 83, passed away on Monday, September 16, 2013 at Riverside Medical Center. Cremation rites have been accorded. Internment will be in Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago, at a later date. Schreffler Funeral Homes, Kankakee, is in charge of arrangements.

Michael was born May 11, 1930, in Chicago, to Bernard and Juanita (Good) Holtzman. He married Elaine Cyr, in Chicago, April 11, 1967. Mr. Holtzman was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous since 1965.

At age 18, he joined Container Corporation of America. He later enlisted in the Army during the Korean War, commissioned while on active duty and left the Army Reserve as Captain. He rejoined Container Corporation, becoming West Coast Divisional Marketing Manager.

In 1963, he joined Edwards and Deutsch Lithographing Company of Chicago as assistant to the president, which he held until he became president of a graphics arts division of McGraw Hill.

In 1970, Mr. Holtzman and his wife formed and operated an international offshore investment company in South America and Europe with their offices in Buenos Aires, London, and Amsterdam. While in Argentina, he also served as a consultant to the area CIA operations. When in Europe he was appointed a trustee of the College of Rome and senior member of the executive committee of Foundation Educative Pro Deo. He held these positions for 25 years.

After retiring, he became a member of the American Arbitration Association eventually becoming a senior international arbitrator. Moving to St. Anne in 1994, Mr. Holtzman served on the Board of Directors of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra Association and was Chairman of the Kankakee Chapter of SCORE [Service Corps of Retired Executives].

Memorials may be made to the Kankakee Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 573, Kankakee, IL 60901 or the Kankakee County Humane Foundation, P.O. Box 2115, Kankakee, IL 60901.

Surviving are his wife; a brother, Andre Holtzman of St. Anne; a daughter and son, Ann Sheehan (Curt) Canter of Greenville, Indiana, James Holtzman of Chicago; three grandchildren, Abigail, Caroline and Jack Sheehan in Indiana, two cousins, Myra Rosenberg of Northbrook and Don Dreyfus of Chicago; and two nephews and two nieces.

He was preceded in death by a son, Michael; his parents and a brother, Ednyfed.