Susanne Wilmersdoerffer Hamilton, an accomplished cellist and teacher, passed away after a long illness on Dec. 14, 2013. A private service was held Dec. 16, with Rabbi Evette Lutman officiating. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Susanne was born Nov. 5, 1928, in Bayreuth, Germany. The H.M. Wilmersdoerffer, the family store, is an historic building in Bayreuth.
She escaped the Nazis with her parents Max and Edith Wilmersdoerffer on the S.S. Washington in 1937.
Susannes maternal grandmother Bella Treumann Berliner and paternal grandparents Gutta and Julius Wilmersdoerffer also survived the Holocaust.
Scattered by the Nazis, they emigrated to Israel, England and Australia.
Susanne grew up in St. Louis, where she attended Soldan High School and Washington University.
A cellist for more than 70 years, Susanne studied with Orlando Cole and David Finckel and adored her time as a cello student at the Tanglewood and Interlochen Music festivals.
She also performed with the San Antonio and New Jersey Symphonies.
During her years in Summit, NJ, she nurtured her love of art by visiting the Metropolitan Museum, Morgan Library and the Frick Gallery in New York.
She could knock off The New York Times crossword puzzle in record time.
She moved to Denver 15 years ago.
Susanne translated her grandmother Bellas diary, written while Bella was in hiding in Holland during the Holocaust, into English. The diary is now in the archives of the Leo Baeck House in New York City.
The family says that her musical legacy lives on in her daughter and granddaughter.
Susanne is survived by her daughters Barbara (Paul Primus) Hamilton, Margaret (Frank Garner) Hamilton and Elizabeth Jutila (Lauri); grandchildren Rachel, Aaron and Ethan Garner, Lily Rebekah and Joshua Berliner Primus; Kelly Clance and Dane Jutila, and great-grandchildren Sadie, Tess and Kate.
Contributions may be made to the Denver Dumb Friends League or the Wilmersdoerffer String Scholarship, c/o the Colorado Chamber Players, PO Box 200143, Denver, CO 80220.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
