Lucy Smith Obituary (1933 - 2022) - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Lucy K. Smith, age 89, of St. Paul, passed away July 24, 2022. Lucy( Lilka) Kreisler was born in Kraków Poland in 1933. At the age of six she started school. This lasted a month. After her first month she was told to leave and not come back because she was a Jew. This was her introduction to her Jewish identity. After the six years of hiding during the Holocaust, knowing each day might bring her death, it was over. She and her mother, Mina had not only survived but were never caught. Very few were that fortunate. In the 1960’s she fled the Communists, moved to Paris with no money, and eventually married an American man. One baby and a divorce later, she settled in Saint Paul, Minnesota in the early 1970’s as a single mother and an immigrant. She remained in Saint Paul and continued her life as a painter, writer ,teacher, and social justice activist. She was also a prolific public speaker on the subject of the Holocaust and Genocide. She strongly expressed her wishes to not be remembered as a wife, daughter or mother. She wanted to be remembered just for herself. She is preceded in death by her parents, Henryk and Mina Kreisler; love of her life, Vigdor "Vic" Grossman. She is survived by her only son, Daniel Smith. Graveside service 11:00 am, FRIDAY, July 29th, CHESED SHEL EMES CEMETERY, 1600 Christie Place, St. Paul. Also available via Zoom; for the link please send an email to zoom3@hodroffepstein.com.