Tamara Real

Real, Tamara 8/22/1954 - 11/16/2017 Ann Arbor Tamara Real died of ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease on November 16, 2017. She died peacefully at home surrounded by beloved friends and caregivers. Tamara was born on August 22, 1954 in New Britain, CT, the only child of Walter and Jeanette Karpie (deceased). With a Master's degree in art history from The Johns Hopkins University, Tamara spent much of her life advocating for the arts. Professional experience included The Smithsonian Institution; The Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Department of Cultural Affairs, New Haven CT; Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI; and The Arts Alliance in Ann Arbor, MI. Additionally, she built a successful public relations and marketing business, Get Real! Communications, that primarily served nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. In 1998, Tamara met Carl Rinne, whom she married on May 22, 1999. Carl was the love of her life, and she spent the happiest years of her life with him. The first 10 years of their marriage were filled with amazing experiences, including renovating an old church into their home and traveling to Greece, Italy, and Russia. The last five years of their marriage were the most heartbreaking, and yet uplifting, time of her life as she watched Carl decline and die of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), an often misdiagnosed disease that affects 1.4 million Americans. Carl's and her experience motivated her to become an ardent activist working to build greater awareness of LBD and to provide support for those affected by this disease. To tackle these goals in Michigan, in 2015, Tamara established the Rinne LBD Initiative at the University of Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center. Always striving to make a difference, Tamara donated her brain to ALS research and established an endowed fund to assure her LBD efforts continue in perpetuity. Donations in her memory can be made to the Carl Rinne and Tamara Real Lewy Body Dementia Support, Education and Awareness Endowment Fund. (victors.us/tamarareal" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">victors.us/tamarareal) Tamara is survived by the "daughter of her heart," Eleni Goutis, and her husband Nicholas Goutis and their daughters Zoi and Yianna, and a cadre of dear friends who loved and supported her. A Celebration of Life for Tamara will be held at a later date. Carl Rinne and Tamara Real Lewy Body Dementia Support, Education and Awareness Endowment Fund. (victors.us/tamarareal)

Arrangements under the direction of Muehlig Funeral Chapel, Ann Arbor, MI.