Jack Aronson

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. - Food entrepreneur and philanthropist extraordinaire Jack Aronson didn't depart this life in vain. Jack passed away in the early morning hours of Aug. 10, 2021, at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., surrounded by those who loved him most – his wife and children.

Determined to continue on with his legacy and passion for helping others, they said their goodbyes to the towering figure that indelibly shaped their worldview and taught them the supreme importance of making a difference in this crazy life.

Jack's remarkable journey began in Highland Park, Mich., where he first forged connections with people who would remain important to him even as he grew into adulthood, and that he would continue to cherish to the end.

It was here that his lifelong love of Middle Eastern cuisine began to form. When Jack was 12, the Aronson family moved to Oak Park, Mich., and Jack attended Ferndale High School.

Ferndale would be a community that Jack embraced wholeheartedly, eventually becoming an important and influential leader in that very community and beyond.

It was in Ferndale where Jack opened his legendary restaurant, Clubhouse BBQ. More importantly, in Ferndale, Jack and the love of his life, his wife and business partner, Annette, founded Garden Fresh Gourmet.

Together they built Garden Fresh into the No. 1 fresh salsa brand in North America. Their success was the success of the least of us – the downtrodden, the hungry, the marginalized members of a broken society.

Such were the souls Jack sought to enrich, with his time, with his talent and with his boundless compassion and generosity. There is a deafening silence in the world he so lovingly and creatively occupied, the kind of silence that only a towering individual can precipitate.

Besides helping others, Jack also had a passion for softball, a sport he excelled at and participated in on a global basis. His softball buddies are legion, and the world of competitive softball will never be the same.

Jack is survived by his loving wife and devoted partner, Annette (known as Vitamin A), his children Trevor (Angela), Melissa (Davey), Melanie (Dave), Jack (Bridget) and Daniel (Shantel), as well as 16 beautiful grandchildren, Tyler A, Tyler, Marlie, Yanet, Katie, Jayson, Landon, Ryan, Lily, Katie, Emily, Mya, Lea, Hannah, Olivia and Drea, and siblings, Kenneth (Joan), Virginia (Gordon), Diana (Roger), David (Lynn).

He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Sonny.

A memorial service will be held Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9086 Hutchins Road, White Lake, MI 48386.

Guests are encouraged to arrive around 10 a.m. Service will begin promptly at 11 a.m., with eulogy preceding the service at noon. Please be aware that Union Lake Road is closed between Willow and Wise Roads.

"A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again." – Maya Angelou

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Metro Detroit Youth Clubs, www.miclubs.org; Say Detroit, saydetroit.org; Salvation Army of Southeastern Michigan, centralusa.salvationarmy.org/emi/; and Beyond Basics, www.beyondbasics.org.