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He was apparently was a bit on the mischievous side as a child, making good on a threat to run away from home--his brother Sidney had to go to Cleveland to get him. He attended Central High School in Detroit. Apparently he did not graduate, but later took college accounting classes at Walsh College in Detroit. While he was in high school, he was introduced to Pearl Sperber, the daughter of Morris and Adele Sperber. The Kalt and Sperber families were from the same area in Europe--Morris Sperber was from the town of Stryj in Galicia, (which was very close to Lvov), and Samuel Kalt and Morris were members of Congregation Beth Abraham synagogue.
In about 1932, Charles began working for Sass Dairy, and then started a creamery with a partner. The creamery business lasted about 6 months. (My mother says he always used to meet her on the street car after she got out of school, and he always smelled like butter). After that, he was in business a short time making car bumpers. While the family lived on Atkinson, they lived across the street from a member of the Purple Gang. My mother had a freind named Eva Bernstein, whose brother was a member of the gang. The gang used to hang out at the Cream of Michigan on 12th St. Charles and Pearl would go there for breakfast, because he was fascinated by the gang. In 1935 he started work at the Sperber Manufacturing Company, a furniture frame factory owned by Morris Sperber. He is listed in the 1935 Detroit city directory as an Assistant Superintendent with the company. In the 1936 city directory, he was listed as an "Assistant Supervisor, Kalt Company", but it's not clear if he actually worked there. On December 20, 1936, he and Pearl were married at the Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. They went to Atlantic City on their honeymoon, and moved to 3410 W. Chicago Blvd, Apt 201, after they returned. Charles continued to work at the Sperber Manufacturing Company.
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In 1937 he and Pearl moved to 3825 Sturtevant (between Dexter and Holmur). The house was built by his father-in-law, and both the Kalts and Sperbers lived in the house. In 1941, their first son, Melvyn Barry Kalt was born, on August 12. In about 1942, Charles opened a factory in Corunna, Michigan (with Jack Neely, who he met while working for the Sperber Manufacturing Company) making wooden ammunition cases. He lived in Owosso during the week and came home to Detroit on weekends. After the war ended, they made radio cabinets in the same factory. He had planned to move the family to Owosso, but sold the factory in 1945-46 and went back to work at the Sperber Mfg. Company. During the late 1940's, he started a building business with his brother Sidney (apparently while still working for the Sperber Company), and built about 10-15 small houses in Wyandotte.
On October 2, 1945, their second son, Samuel Richard (named for Samuel Kalt, who had died in 1941) was born. On July 26, 1951, their third son, Morris Frederick (that's me), was born. I was named for Morris Sperber, who died about a month before I was born, and for Fannie Kalt, who died in 1946. After Morris Sperber died in 1951, Charles took over management of the Sperber Manufacturing Company along with Pearl's brother, Milton. In about 1954, they sold the Sperber Manufacturing Company, and used the proceeds to build a furniture store (Sperber Sofas Inc.) in Livonia. The furniture store opened in about 1955-56.
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In late 1958, Charles began building a house in Southfield, and in July of 1959, the family (including Adele Sperber) moved to 22346 Greenview, Southfield. On January 31, 1960, Charles suffered a heart attack (his second), and died later that day. He was buried on February 2, 1960, at Beth Abraham Cemetery, in Ferndale, Michigan. After Charles's death, Pearl went into business on her own, owning a series of gift and clothing shops (on her own and with partners), most recently "The Little Shop", in Birmingham, Michigan. She sold her interest in the Little Shop in the 1970's. After that, she lived in Farmington Hills and Oak Park, Michigan. Pearl passed away on April 19, 2011 after 94 fascinating years.
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Go to Main Kalt PageThis page last updated on 01 May 2013
