This is a web exhibition about my mother’s life and Artistic/Creative talent in America 1908 – 2009.
The exhibition is made up of stories and photographs from her particular life and, as she made most of her clothes and ours through the 1950’s, many of the pictures show her talent for Fashion in this way.
*You can go directly to “the story” by clicking THE STORY
(<< to the left)
My mother was an extremely charming woman with a great sense of humor that her children cherish. She held an uncommonly “youthful appearance” that stayed with her all her life. She was a very very passive human being and talked very little about herself. I did not retain a great deal of what my mother told me about herself……
Some of what I am going to say is conjecture based on what I was able to write down and remember of my discussions with her over the 66 years that I knew her. The rest is from the written memories of her favorite sister Polly Winkler.
My mother’s artistic talent was funneled into the most practical of the skills/occupations/crafts at which she excelled.
One of her earliest friendships was with a family that had one child, a daughter about her age. The mother of this girlfriend apparently recognized my mother’s artistic bend and flare for fashion. This woman gave my mother the name Madame Fritzie and said that Fritzie should become a Fashion Designer.
The pictures that I have of my mother and some of the clothes she designed & made are a testament to a woman’s effort to express her creativity as much as she was able. There are very few of these pictures, but many of them are clothes she made for herself or others.
I am left with this wish to celebrate my mother’s life and artistic talent and how she used it. In so doing, I put her to rest in peace, after her death at the age of 100 1/2 years in 2009.
I was googling my mother-in-law’s name for some reason, and found this site. How beautiful! My mother is Lillian Greenhut. She is 93 and still lives in West Bloomfield, MI. She will love to hear this memory of Fritzies! Please do look her up and contact her. She would love to be in touch, I’m sure. She has wonderful photos from her childhood, and I suspect she may have one of these as well, possibly.
Much love to all,
Nancy Cronk (married to Saul Greenhut)
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P.S. Just to clarify, there were two Lillian Greenhuts. The Lillian who was a Greenhut by birth was one of Fritzie’s dearest friends, according to her daughter, Leslie Woodfin. Lillian never married. The second Lillian Greenhut was a Greenhut by marriage. Lillian Rosen married Fred Greenhut, who was Lillian Greenhut’s brother. So, the two Lillian’s were sister-in-laws. Many of the Greenhuts celebrated Fritzie’s 90th birthday with her in Denver before she left to go to Israel.
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Nancy,
Thanks for the reminder….
Lesley
Lesley – this is a real testament of love to your mother Fritzie, whom I knew briefly, in a short visit to you in Chicago. It makes me want to do something similar to honor the memory of my beloved mother, who died a year ago. Thank you! Judy in Ecuador
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Wow! That is quite a project!
A name from my sordid past…. How are, my dear?
Your site is so full of love to your mother! And this idea of keeping her memory and telents is so new to me. I’ve read and reread the information and looked at the pictures. It is like traveling through a time tunnel.
Keep in touch, lovely to hear from you,
Your friend from Ashkelon,
Ziona
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Ziona! Oh! Ziona! You are still there! A Huge Hug From me! Lesley
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Lesly, I found out little about your mother other than that she was a very talented person. There is much about your life and maybe you should expand it into an autobiography. Thanks for sharing. Anne
P.S. you look a lot like your mother. She was a very attractive lady.
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Hi! Anne,
Thank you for the comment.
I have a feeling that you did not try clicking on the link to the left “THE STORY: per the story tellers…..”.
You would have found tons of details about my mother’s life there…. But I will not be upset, if you do not try again.
All the BEST, Lesley
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I’m eager to hear more. I’ll also struck with how much your mother looks like you in certain photos, same expression, everything, but not at all in others.
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Dear Lesley,
Yes I am seriously interested in the content of your blog.
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