Johannah Nathan Hoffman Wilkenfeld

Johannah Nathan Hoffman Wilkenfeld, age 91, died on June 23, 2018. Born on April 4, 1927 and raised in Chicago, Johannah moved to Houston with her parents Julius and Lillyan Nathan and sisters, Charlotte and Carol Sue. Soon after, she met and married her husband Robert. As the story goes, Robert fell in love with her on the dance floor and Johannah would remember when he touched her beautiful hair. In the early years, Johannah raised her children and helped Robert at the scrap yard he started in 1956. Johannah would start each day with an early morning call and chat from her sister, Charlotte. She also volunteered at TIRR, the Jewish Home for the Aged, the Lighthouse for the Blind, served on the Boards of the Houston Grand Opera and the Alzheimer’s Association. For her many years of service, Johannah received the Mayor’s Award for Volunteerism.

Music and dance lit up her life. Johannah sang for many Sisterhood shows at Temple Emanu El, bringing down the house with her voice and stage presence! She sang for TUTS at the reopening of the Rice Hotel. An avid opera lover and season ticket holder, she shared this love with her father and her sister Carol Sue. Later in life, she developed a love of Chamber music and hosted performances at her home. Johannah loved dance and as a young girl was asked to join the San Francisco ballet. Her love of travel took her on an opera/ballet tour to Russia and Europe with her daughter Mallory and sister Carol Sue, to Acapulco with her daughter Randi celebrating their Aries birthdays and a trip by train from Houston to St Louis to NYC with daughters, Mallory and Randi and sister, Carol Sue. Johannah went on junkets to Las Vegas with Robert many times and to Round Rock for music festivals with her second husband Herschell.

Johannah loved to be surrounded by beauty. Her favorite saying was “A little powder and a little paint makes a woman what she ain’t”. She loved her granddaughters, taking Jill to the Nutcracker Ballet to share their love of ballet and teaching Katie to make matzo balls with her secret ingredient.

Later in life, Johannah became a Woman Business Owner, taking over the business started by her husband, Robert. She was fortunate to find love again with Herschell Wilkenfeld. After Herschell’s death, she moved to the Brookdale Galleria at age 80 and enjoyed playing poker, bridge and all the many other activities, including the Talent Shows. It was then that Johannah continued to take Creative Writing and even became a published writer! Johannah lived a long and full life.

Predeceased by husband, Robert Hoffman and 2nd husband Herschell Wilkenfeld and sister Charlotte Tish, Johannah is survived by daughter Mallory Hoffman, daughter and son-in-law Randi and Marty Rosenkrantz, granddaughters Jill and Katie Rosenkrantz, Marshall Hoffman and family, sister Carol Sue Finkelstein, special nieces and nephews, Linda Goldstein (Allan), Donna Tish (Mark Nash), J.J. Finkelstein (Linda), and Jim Finkelstein. A special thank you to her wonderful Caregivers from the Brookdale Galleria, Minerva Chapa and Ethel Kennedy and Lilliana Montez who was always there for Johannah and her family.

Private graveside services for the family will be followed by a Memorial Service on June 29, 2018 celebrating Johannah’s life. It will be held at the Brookdale Galleria, 2929 Post Oak Blvd 2nd floor at 4:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to a charity of your choice.