Email  Print

Lotte Klugman

  Our loving Mom, Oma, Aunt, and friend to all she’s met, Lotte Klugman passed on Friday, April 20, 2012, with her family by her side.

  She was born Lotte Lehmann on April 18, 1920, in a small town, Barsinghausen, Germany. She had an idyllic childhood with her sister, Ruth, brother, Hans, and many cousins, walking in beautiful woods with wildflowers, singing German songs by small lakes and streams. Thus began her love of nature.

  She claimed her muscles came from milking cows and her long life came from her farm stock heritage.

  When Hitler came, life for her, her family, and other Jews became a nightmare. Her brother, Hans, got her and her mother safely to Seattle just before her mother died in 1939. She met Ruben Klugman, the love of her life, at age 21 – they married and had 3 children – Wendy, Barb and Lani.

  In 1957, Lotte longed for the California sun, so they moved from Seattle to North Hollywood.

  In 1979, she and Rube bought a round-the-world ticket and traveled for a year, one adventure after another. Celebrating her 60th birthday in Paris was a highlight.

  They moved to Sonoma in 1980, and helped start the Vintage House. Rube died in 1993, and Lotte traveled much of the world with her friend, Muriel Robbins. She took her grandchildren – Jake, Laura and Renee on world adventures and hiked and backpacked with Barb into Lotte’s 80th year.

  She was interviewed by UpBeat magazine three days before she passed from a stroke, on April 20, 2012. Her picture and article will be in the May issue. Her advice – “Be Yourself.”

  Her celebration of life was held on April 22 at the home of Muriel Robbins. It was a lively event in the sun.

  Lotte is survived by her daughters, Barb Cohen, of Palm Springs; Wendy Prine, of Sonoma; and Elaine Smith of Hayward; and three grandchildren – Jake Cohen, and Laura and Renee Prine.

Lotte was a joyous gift who will be missed by all who knew her.