Kurt M. Kochmann

On December 17 Kurt Martin Kochmann passed quietly in the comfort of the home of his daughter, Jill Kochmann. He was 98 years old. He is survived by his sister and niece, Catherine and Dominique Le Bourgeoise of Paris, France; his daughters Carol Kochmann of Massachusetts, and Jill Kochmann of New York; his granddaughters, Emily Blumkin, and Sophie and Alice Ritz; and his sons-in-law, John Ritz and Mark Palleschi.

Kurt was born in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 11, 1915, where he studied woodworking. Even before experiencing first-hand such events as Kristallnacht in 1938 and the takeover of his parents’ candy shops, he had wanted to go to the United States. Sending an inquiry about how to do so to the government resulted, unbeknownst to him, in being issued a “low number”. As anti-Semitism became unbearable, his girlfriend urged him to leave a country in which he had no future. He had wanted to marry her, but since she wasn’t Jewish, it would not have been allowed. She was a ballerina, and the love of ballet stayed with him all his life.

With her urgings and because he had a low number, he was permitted to leave in 1939. He emigrated to the United States, settling in Queens, NY, where he was fortunate to get a job as a cabinetmaker. He was trying desperately to bring his parents Bertholde and Cecile to the US, but before he was able to do so, he learned that they had been shipped off to a concentration camp, never to be heard from again.

He joined the US Army, building bridges for the troops under Patton as they advanced through Northern Africa and Italy. However, before leaving the States, he fell in love with his first wife, Ilse “Elsie” Strauss, also formerly of Dusseldorf. They were wed in Camp Shanango, PA on August 13, 1943.

After the war Kurt and Elsie moved to Port Washington, NY where they raised their three children. There he became a highly successful traveling hardwood salesman, and eventually a company Sales Vice President. He worked for several firms including Newton Lumber Company and Sabbeth Industries.

In 1966 the world of Kurt’s family was shattered with the death of Elsie. He was an old-fashioned soul who didn’t give up easily; he knew what he and his family needed to get back on its feet. In 1967 he married Ruth Goldsmith and they shared a tumultuous love including fine food and wine, bridge, travel, music, theater and the arts. He coached her in selling real estate in Port Washington for Robert Harding Real Estate. Misfortune struck again when Ruth passed away in 1985.

After the many tragedies in his life, he valued his family above all and remained in Port Washington for almost forty years. After his retirement, Kurt enjoyed life in Pompano Beach, FL, where he fell in love with his final sweetheart, Doris Cohn. He spent most of the years of his final long illness at the White Oaks Nursing facility in Woodbury, NY, moving to Jill’s this past July.

He will be remembered as he always was: a charming, optimistic, quintessential German Jewish gentleman. He was a man of style and culture who loved a good meal. As for death, his refrain was, “It can’t be that bad. After all, no one ever came back.” Because of his dementia, he was spared the knowledge of the death of his son, Kenneth Burton Kochmann, this past March.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Amnesty International USA, 5 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001.