Dearborn Icon Alberta Muirhead Passes
Dearborn lost a longtime friend, community supporter and advocate for education Friday when Alberta Muirhead died.
Muirhead, a former business owner, was a charitable woman who found many ways to give back to the community she loved so dearly. Muirhead was the namesake of Dearborn’s Teacher of the Year award, which began in 1997.
Funeral services will take place at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Howe-Peterson Funeral Home in Dearborn. Visitation will take place from 4-9 p.m. Sunday and 1-9 p.m. Monday. Howe-Peterson is located at 22546 Michigan Ave. Interment is in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Alberta Muirhead and Russ Gibb at a 2007 fundraiser for Oakwood Hospital.
For those of you who may not know Alberta Muirhead, she and her husband John were founders and longtime owners of Muirhead’s, a Dearborn shop that started as a toy store in 1946 and developed into one of the most successful department stores in the Detroit area.
In 1983 Mr. Muirhead passed away, and in 1990, after 43 years in the retail business, Muirhead decided to close her store at Michigan and Military and dedicate her energy to a longstanding passion for community involvement and “giving back”. She later donated her building – that still bears the Muirhead name – to Oakwood.
Below is what the Dearborn Press & Guide was reporting today.
She was also a good friend to the Dearborn Animal Shelter. She received the Big Heart Award from the organization in 2006. She was a charter sponsor for the Friends’ Black Tie & Tails, served on the New Shelter Advisory Board, and generously supported animals in need.
In late 2007, Muirhead gave a $500,000 gift to the Oakwood Healthcare Foundation to support nursing education.
The contribution will create the Muirhead Scholars Program in honor of John and Alberta Muirhead. This endowment fund will assist the best and the brightest employees within the Oakwood Healthcare System in pursuing their advanced Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees. The full-ride scholarships is awarded annually to Oakwood employees.
“I believe, regardless of what position you are in life, you can do some good, ” Muirhead said after announcing the gift. “There are so many people out there who need help. And I think anything you can do is worthwhile.”
January 14th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Arrangements are now posted on the Press & Guide article.
January 15th, 2011 at 11:43 am
Alberta Muirhead was a woman of intelligence, beauty, dignity, grace and generosity. She always had a smile on her face and a kind word for anyone that she was talking to.
She was a smart business woman, a loyal friend, and just a wonderful human being.
All of our love to her family and friends.
January 15th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Those of you too young to remember the heyday of major Detroit area retail stores, such as J.L. Hudson’s, Muirhead’s, Himelhoch’s, Crowley’s, Hughes & Hatcher, et al, may find it difficult to appreciate the magic of Muirhead’s marketing under the artful direction of Alberta and her late husband.
When we were children, we were fascinated by the storefront Muirhead’s windows on Michigan Avenue, and coveted having our picture taken with Santa in the Muirhead sleigh.
My family didn’t have enough money to do so at that time (50’s and 60’s), but we still went there just to visit and sort of press our noses against the window and admire the wonderful window displays and children’s clothing.
Mrs. Muirhead was a class act without a pretentious attitude and provided many part-time jobs for high school and college students.
She will be missed.
Condolences to her companion, Russ Gibb.
January 15th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
The munificent Mrs. Muirhead truly was a class act. We should all be so lucky as to be a little more like her. Her generosity, grace, and compassion were just a few of the things she will be remembered for. Doubtless, the city sure could use some more people like her.
You will be missed, Alberta.