Kitty Schwarzschild (1908 – 2006)

A tiny obituary caught my eye.
In 8 pica type, Friday’s NY Times pay-obituaries included the wonderful highlights from the life of Ms. Kathryn Emsheimer (Schwarzschild), expired at 98 years of age. From the obituary one learns the highlights:

1. She had an exciting Edna St Vincent-Milay style Village bohemian / Barnard College youth.
2. She designed part of the Futurama display at the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens.
3. She flew planes in the Pacific in WWII, where she met and later married a destroyer commander.
4. A bit sadly (to me), she seems to have spent the second half of this exciting life on a slower pace, emigrated (exiled!) to Richmond, Virginia for golf, etcetera.

Ms Emsheimer’s obituary is written with a verve and a tone that imply it is by one of her dear contemporaries. I love the feeling of the words:

"She was a Renaissance woman, independent thinker, and a free spirit with great intellectual curiosity. A much admired and sought after beauty... "

I would like to meet the person that wrote those lines.

Is it weird to read obituaries? My friend Sally once cautioned me that all unhappiness stems from comparison (she was a Buddhist). And yet, comparison is why I read them. I compare myself all the time to the yardsticks in obituaries and wedding announcements. They frame the question. It’s up to me to answer it. I tend to not ask these questions otherwise and the people around me don’t either (bless them) so something has to light a fire under my ass.

Which is my way of saying that I’m going to join the W.A.C.S. and design a World’s Fair pavilion for General Motors.

Comments

[Caitlin Brown]

Kitty was exactly how you envisioned, but her fire was still with her ( in Virginia..) to the end- . She had a true passion for life, and was an inspiration to us all. I googled her name when I got back from Virginia- (her funeral)-, to see if there was anything that came up, and found your blog. Just wanted to say thank you. She inspired even those she did not know to cease the day - that was Kitty Schwarschild- she will be with me always.
Kind Regards,
Caitlin Brown (Kitty's grandaughter)

[William Schwarzschild]

So you would like the meet the person (actually - "people" - it was a collaborative effort among my brother, my sister and me) that penned the obituary about my mother, Kitty Schwarzschild. Well, hello! Kitty was an unconventional and remarkable woman and I am sorry that you never had the opportunity to meet her. The fact that you got a small taste of her incredible life from such a short obituary makes us feel like we got the message across.

[William Schwarzschild]

PS: Don't think for a minute that she slowed her pace upon her "exile" to Virginia!

[Albert Wu]

Wow. This is so touching to me for some reason. I love how the Internet forges these types of connections.

[Peter]

!!

[Sean]

They put her obit in 96-point type? Or did you mean 8-point type? There are 12 points in a pica.

[Lyn]

Wonderful launch comments for my coming article Re. Woman's History month