Liselotte Matzner

Liselotte Matzner, age 101, passed from this earth on April 17, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Hans Matzner. She is survived by 5 children, Peter, Katherine, Sue, Dave, and Paul, and grandchildren Shari, Lisa, Sandy, Mary, Laura, Michelle, Amy, Emmy, and Eli, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

Born in Vienna, Austria in 1919 to Arnold and Paula Eckstein, she was their only child.

In 1938 she and her future husband Hans (both born into secular Jewish families) decided that they needed to emigrate to the United States for their own safety, unable to convince their parents of the impending doom. Having relatives in Milwaukee allowed them to settle there and start a new life, with marriage in 1939, and their first child in 1940. Lotte was a 20 year old mother and times were tough. With perseverance, help from neighbors, and social service agencies, Lotte and Hans forged a partnership that Lotte later described as "an excellent marriage."

Lotte devoted her time not only to raising a family, but she worked at various jobs before having a long term position in the Occupational Therapy department of St. Michael Hospital. She used her love of arts and crafts to help patients do many projects with clay, paint, and fiber.

Volunteer work with children also kept Lotte busy as a Cub Scout Den Mother, leading tours at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, and classroom help at St. Eugene School.

She was an active outdoors person who enjoyed camping, hiking, bicycling, swimming, yoga, and gardening. She could identify almost every tree, bird, and plant she came across on her walks. Her talent at cooking and baking was all self-taught and she made delicious, memorable food for her family, especially desserts! Her passion for the music of Mozart and Haydn was endless. She also loved Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, and Mahalia Jackson and she often hummed and sang while doing activities at home.

Her later years were spent at the Milwaukee Catholic Home, first in Independent Living, and then in Special Care after dementia and 2 hip surgeries slowed her down. Her family is eternally grateful to the wonderful staff there who cared for her so lovingly.

Lotte wished to be cremated, and will be alongside her husband Hans at Holy Cross Cemetery.

A private gathering of family to celebrate her life will be held in September at her favorite park.