Marceline Klinghamer, age 98, passed away of old age in November 2021. She was born in 1923 in Chicago, Illinois, to parents who were immigrants from Germany and Hungary, who had met on a ship to Ellis Island. During Prohibition, when she was just 8 years old, her father died of whisky poisoning. With three other children in the house to take care of, Marcie’s aunt, Tante’ Lena and Onkel August, who lived in Germany, convinced her mother that they were better suited to raise her as they had the means. Her Onkel, who had lost both legs in WW1, really loved children. Marcie quickly adapted to the new language and thrived. She even mastered the piano and secretarial school shorthand (apparently useful in WWII).
She was an American citizen living in Germany when WWII broke out (apparently Tante’ Lena and Marcie put out a fire in the attic that a bomb had made). After the war, when she was in her early twenties, rationing was in effect and all U.S. citizens had to come back to the States. She reunited with her family and her ½ sister, born to her mother and her stepfather (who was from her mother’s village and came to the US before WWII). Her mother told her in later years that she regretted leaving her as a child with relatives in another country but could not afford to raise all her children as a single mother during The Depression.
The family moved to Tampa, Florida, in the late 1940’s, for better opportunities and warmer weather. Using skills she had learned from her uncle in Germany, who was a tailor, she worked as the alterations manager for Wolf Brothers. She played piano well into her 80’s. Her niece attributes her long-life to her working in the garden, and cooking most meals from scratch. She beat Covid in 2020 with no symptoms.
Marcie loved to go shopping, whether for clothing or to the grocery store. She also loved going to the International House of Pancakes for breakfast, at any time of the day, as well as going to have a German meal at Dunderbak’s with a German beer on the side. Just getting in the car and going someplace was a treat as she was amazed how landmarks in the city of Tampa had changed.
Marcie outlived her parents, Joseff Klinghammer and Luise (Ebert), her Tante’ Lena and Onkel August, her stepfather, Henry Hildenbrand and 2nd wife, Emma; sisters, Hilda Downs and Martha Meier; step-sister, Marianne Scanlon; brothers, Oscar and Henry. She leaves behind step-brother, Fred Vollweiler (Gretel); nieces, Lola Vorhies, Phyliss Harrison (Tony Romaella), Anneliese Meier, and Christine Campbell; nephews, Larry Downs (Christine), John Meier, Joey (Marla) and Tom (Laura) Scanlon.
The family thanks the management and staff at Inspired Living Assisted Living in Tampa, for their beautiful loving care for Tante’ Marcie the past few years. She thrived in their care.
Tante’ Marcie, you lived a novel of a life. Guck a Mol: Bis wir uns wieder treffen.
A Funeral Service for Marceline will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Blount & Curry Funeral Home at Garden of Memories, 4207 East Lake Avenue, Tampa, Florida. Interment to follow in Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, Tampa, Florida. The family will receive friends one hour prior at the funeral home.
