West Bloomfield

‘Last Lecture’ co-author remembered after auto death

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

WEST BLOOMFIELD — The life of a bestselling author from West Bloomfield ended in a car crash Feb. 10, generating an outpouring of grief and support in metro Detroit.

Jeffrey Zaslow died Feb. 10 after his vehicle crashed into a truck in the northern Lower Peninsula. He was 53.

Zaslow is the author of multiple bestselling books and wrote columns for newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal. He visited the West Bloomfield Township Public Library in January to promote his latest book, “The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for our Daughters.”

Mary Killian, the library’s adult services coordinator, called Zaslow’s writing an amazing gift.

“No matter what the topic, he had several very, very popular books that touched our readers just so directly,” Killian said. “He applied to men, women and young readers by the topics that he chose.”

Zaslow’s biggest seller was his 2008 book, “The Last Lecture,” which he wrote with Randy Pausch, a professor who was dying of pancreatic cancer.

After that book, he co-authored a profile of Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully crash-landed his jet in the Hudson River. And Zaslow contributed to a book on Gabrielle Giffords, the former U.S. House representative from Arizona who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head.

Zaslow’s final book, “The Magic Room,” focuses on Becker’s Bridal shop in Fowler, Mich., and details the rites of passage that brides and families take during the journey of staging a wedding.

“Who’da thunk that you’d get so many human interest stories at a bridal salon in the middle of Michigan?” Killian said.

Killian said the library ordered numerous copies of Zaslow’s books, which often had waiting lists to borrow. She said the library staff was thrilled when the “hometown boy” approached them about his “Magic Room” book tour and generously offered his time during the Jan. 30 visit.

“He was just incredible, just an incredible resource to have right here in our community,” Killian said. “And the library is just grateful that we were here to share his story.”

Zaslow’s written words sold millions, but Cynthia Fox-Janke of Holly will always remember the personally inscribed words penned in her signed copies when she came to the library.

Fox-Janke, who used to live in West Bloomfield, said she went to the library because she fondly remembers Becker’s Bridal.

“I grew up in that little town,” she said. “My grandfather lived kitty corner from Becker’s, and I used to sit on the front porch and watch all the girls go in.”

Fox-Janke said she special ordered a dress from Becker’s when she first married, and she returned after she remarried following her first husband’s death. She said it was a thrill to meet Zaslow and get some books signed.

“He was so looking forward to his daughters being married and possibly going there (the bridal salon),” she said. “He was just thrilled that I knew where it was and I had grown up there.”

According to Fox-Janke, Zaslow’s inscription called her a “Becker bride times two” and hoped that “The Magic Room” reminds her of the love in her family and her best memories of Fowler.

She said she found out about Zaslow’s fate the Monday following his death and was shocked.

“He was such a loving person in the way that he wrote,” she said, “You could just tell that different situations touched him, and that’s what touched me about his writing.”

Zaslow, who was born in Philadelphia, graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in creative writing, according to his website biography. His journalism career included stints at the Orlando Sentinel, The Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Sun-Times. He also wrote columns for USA Weekend.

Zaslow’s funeral took place at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield Feb. 13. He is survived by his wife, Sherry Margolis of WJBK-TV, and their three children.

To learn more about author Jeffrey Zaslow, visit www.jeffzaslow.com or www.magicroombook.com.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1058.