Lotte Oswald
Oswald, Lotte, one of the last living Kansas survivors of the Nazi holocaust, passed away Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at the age of ninety-four. The family will receive friends, share memories and celebrate her life at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, February 18, The Domes, 3100 N. Hillside. Lotte had been a resident of the Catholic Care Center in Wichita for the past several years. She was born in 1911 in Katowice, at that time part of Germany. She moved to Breslau, Germany at the end of World War I. In 1939, at the time of the Nazi persecution of Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and other minority groups, Lotte immigrated to the U.S. with her infant son, Peter and with her husband, Fred who had been imprisoned during Kristalnacht. Arriving with the equivalent of ten U.S. dollars, the family resettled in Oklahoma City after a brief stay in New York. With the exception of one sibling, her entire extended family was exterminated during the Nazi era. Educated in Germany and Switzerland with a strong humanistic ideological foundation, Lotte maintained her strong belief in tolerance and acceptance of differences through the difficulties of her daily existence during that period. She moved to Kansas in 1948 with her family that now included an American born daughter, Peggy. She became active in several civic and religious organizations including: YWCA, United Nations Association, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Hadassah and BNai Brith, rising to prominence in their regional and national organizational structures. In addition, she served as president of Temple Emanuels sisterhood. To commemorate her eightieth birthday she was honored by several of these organizations with lifetime certificates of appreciation. Lotte Oswald is survived by her daughter, Peggy of Wichita, her son, Peter and daughter-in-law, Marilyn of New York City, four grandchildren, Kent, Pamela, Pilar and Julie as well as five great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to the National Conference for Community and Justice, 130 E. Murdock, S-102, Wichita, KS, 67214 or the Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation, 400 N. Woodlawn, S-8, Wichita, KS, 67208. Downing Lahey Mortuary East.
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Please accept our deepest condolences for your family’s loss.
Peggy – We were out of town when your mom’s obituary appeared in the Eagle so I was unaware of her passing until recently when my mom mentioned it. She had cut the article out of the paper and forgotten to give it to me. I checked the phone book but there wasn’t a Peggy Oswald or Peggy Blake listed. I have many fond memories of hanging out at your house. Do you remember when we had our first dates and barely got in the front door before we burst into hilarious laughter? Those boys probably deserved a medal for putting up with us. I would love to talk to you or get together for coffee. If you are interested, please give me a call (office-554-2200 or home-522-0176) or email me at mbradsha1@sbcglobal.net. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. Your mom and dad were both very special people. Love, Sandy Brown Bradshaw
Dear Peggy: I was out of town for a week, returning last night. Fortunately, I had my newspapers saved and read about your mother this morning. What a wonderful tribute was written in her memory. Please accept my condolences. Sincerely, Annabelle O’Neil
Dear Peggy, with Pilar, Julie and the family, So sorry to learn of your mother’s passing. She was a lovely lady whom we know you will miss a lot. We hope all is well with you. Please give our regards to Julie–if she comes home to Wichita, we’d love to hear from her.We’re thinking of you during this time. Love to all.
Peggy, Peter, Marilyn and family – I wanted to write and let you know first and foremost, that you are in our thoughts and prayers. I know that if mother could possibly comprehend the information, she would be sending you her love and prayers as well. Mother always thought so very highly of your dad, your mother and of all you kids. I know she truly enjoyed working for your father and the visits to New York and the acquaintances with Peter and Marilyn. In other words your family was very special to her. I don’t envy the emotional place that you are in right now. I haven’t lost my mom yet, but I grieve with you in knowing that it is the most painful time for those of us left behind. Please know once again that you are in our hearts and that we wish peace for all of you in the memories of both your mom and dad. Peggy – obviously, I’ve lost track of your address and could not readily find it in the phone book so this will be my ‘sympathy card’. I hoped that I could stop in tomorrow, to see you, but family matters have prevented that, so I send my best to all of you. God Speed and safe travel when you return to your homes. We will keep you in our prayers. Nancy Conover and June Anderson
My knowledge of Mrs. Oswald comes only from the obituary and I must say that I was wonderfully touched. What a life she obviously lived and it is apparent that this world lost a truly lovely and special person. While I do not practice the same faith, I believe God will truly bless this wonderful woman. My heart goes out to her surviving family and all other close to her. Praise God for people like Mrs. Oswald.
Peggy, I dont know how to reach you by phone.Im so sorry to read about your mothers death. What a gorgeous picture of her in the paper. It is a beautiful eulogy to a beautiful person and she will be missed. I dont care how old we are, when we lose a parent, we mourn like a child. Buz and I send our condolences and love to you and your family. May her memory bring peace to you now and always. We cannot attend the celebration due to a conflict in the Jewish community. One of my Russian refugees son is becoming a Bar Mitzvah and we are participating in the torah reading. Just know that our thoughts are with you.all our love, Marcia & Buz