Kaete Granick

Kaete Granick, devoted mother, sister, and wife, died peacefully in her retirement home in Madison, Wisconsin on December 5, 2009. She was born in Berlin, Germany on August 7, 1920 to Flora Karpen, a medical doctor, and Kurt Boenheim, an attorney. With her twin sister, Eva Hirsch, she was close all of their lives, and never stopped missing her after Eva's death in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on August 27, 2004. She is survived by her son Steve (Helen) of Champaign, IL; her daughter Barbara Liza of Madison, WI; and her son Jim Timothy (Claudine) of Verona, WI. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Bruce, Martin, Troy and Elizabeth.

The two young teenagers, Kaete and Eva, and their parents, fled Nazi Germany in 1933 and settled in Paris, France. For the rest of her life, Kaete loved things French. Speaking French like a native, in later life she would return to France for visits again and again. After fleeing Paris in 1939 when the Germans invaded northern France, the girls spent months first in a Vichy government detention camp in Gurs, the south of France, then they did various odd jobs including picking jasmine flowers for a perfume factory in Marseilles, before it became possible get a U.S. visa and be smuggled out of France, first to Portugal and onward by boat. In 1943, the family settled in New York City.

Kaete always kept a slight accent when she spoke English, but lived surrounded by the English language for the rest of her life. Never one to mope, upon arrival in the U.S. she quickly found work as a nanny. The kindness of strangers allowed her to attend the University of Michigan, where she received B.A. and M.A. degrees in history. She then received an M.A. degree in Early Childhood Education at Columbia University in New York City.

In New York, she met her future husband, David, a doctoral student of economics, whom she married in 1950. David's subsequent career in international economics allowed them to return to Europe repeatedly, usually for up to a year and a half at a time; in this way, they lived in Glasgow, Paris, Manchester, Munich, Vienna, and Algiers, but always returned to their home in Madison, WI. They also spent extended times in Montreal, Palo Alto, and other university towns. Her perfect knowledge of French and German was a great help to her husband. She and David loved travel but it was hard, as at the same time she was raising their three children. She was the enabling presence that made possible her husband's successful career.

Her husband's early death in 1990 left her with no one to take care of. Her children had left the house. Thus began a peaceful time, free of the restless activity of her earlier life. She continued to take pleasure in travel, traveling with Elderhostels. She was an avid photographer. She volunteered in local elementary schools, took classes, took pleasure in hosting her French conversation group. She always had a book, usually a French book, near her armchair for spare-time perusal. Her greatest pleasure was to see her children and grandchildren. Even into her 80s, she was selflessly helping them in every way possible.

Kaete was greatly loved by those who knew her for her warmth and generous spirit. She didn't have a complaining bone in her, and disliked to look back on the past. In addition to devotion to her family, Kaete enjoyed the cultural side of life, especially music. With the passing of Kaete Granick, the world has lost a gentle soul. We'll miss her very much.

The family will schedule a memorial service for Kaete in the near future.