Loni Pinns

Beloved wife of Dr. Murray L. Pinns (deceased); dear sister of Erwin Michel and Rudy Michel (deceased); cherished aunt of Allen (Bobbi Clarke) Michel, Elliot (Lita Rothenberg) Michel of PA, David (Lisa) Michel and Myriam Michel; loving great-aunt and great-great-aunt.

Funeral services will be held at BERKOWITZ-KUMIN-BOOKATZ MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 1985 S. TAYLOR RD., CLEVELAND HTS. on Monday, October 8 at 12 noon.

Interment Zion Memorial Park (Shaarey Tikvah section).

The family will receive friends FOLLOWING INTERMENT UNTIL 9 PM at the residence of David and Lisa Michel, 5050 Crofton Ave., Solon.

Contributions are suggested to Congregation Shaarey Tikvah (www.shaareytikvah.org).

To view this service please navigate to https://youtu.be/28iMgDltDXs.

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Loni Pinns (nee Michel) passed away on October 2nd, a month before her 98th birthday. She was born in 1920 in Neidaltdorf, Germany to Solomon and Else Michel, with two older brothers, Rudy and Erwin. In 1941, Loni and her parents followed her brother Rudy to the United States, narrowly escaping deportation.

Loni settled in Cleveland and worked for more than 30 years as a seamstress at Higbees. She met Murray Pinns, a PhD scientist with NASA, and they married in 1961. Theirs was a great marriage, filled with travel, photography, laughter, and a steady stream of puns, but was cut too short when he passed away after only six years of marriage.

While the war prevented Loni from getting a formal education, she became a self-taught Scrabble pro and opera and classical music connoisseur.

Loni’s greatest love was her family. Even in her waning days she would always ask “how’s the family?” and toast “to the family.” Loni often would remark that her family’s success proves the “Nazi’s didn’t win the war”.

She is lovingly remembered by her nephews, Allen (Bobbi) in Boston, Elliot (Lita) in Pittsburgh and David (Lisa) in Cleveland and niece Myriam (Geneva, Switzerland). Each of their children, Aaron (Susan), Alex, Ian, Andrea (Adam), Eric, Randi, Sabrina, Gregory, Jeremy (Gwendolyn) and five great grandnieces/nephews will always remember the smiles and joy that Aunt Loni brought them throughout their lives.

In spite of her challenging childhood in Nazi Germany, Loni was endowed with goodwill toward everyone she encountered. Ever inquisitive, ready to laugh, and quick with a pun, she will be missed by all who knew her.