Obituary: Lothar Schloss
Lothar “Lou” Schloss passed away peacefully two days after his 99th birthday surrounded by family.
Lothar “Lou” Schloss passed away peacefully two days after his 99th birthday surrounded by family. Lou was born on Aug. 14, 1925, in Leiwen, Germany, the youngest son of Moses and Franciska Schloss. Having been refused an education by the Nazis in Germany he was sent to live with his cousins in Luxembourg at age 9. He was able to return home to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah in Germany right before the Synagogue was destroyed during Kristallnacht. He and his parents then fled Germany and made their way to the United States, settling in New York City.
His older brother Kurt (Claude) Schloss stayed behind to fight the Nazis with the French Resistance. Lou’s first years in the U.S were difficult, going to school by day and then working after school to help pay family expenses.
Immediately upon high school graduation, he was drafted into the US army and sent to Macon, Ga., for basic training. Upon completing basic training, and preparing to be shipped out for D-Day, he was found to have high blood pressure and deemed ineligible to join the invasion, where many of his friends did not make it home. After his discharge he returned to New York City to once again help support his family. He worked many jobs before settling on the trade of Tool and Die Maker – a beginning of a life of being able to fix anything. In 1960, he married Roslyn Herzog, and they raised their two children in West Orange, N.J. He was devoted to his family, friends, and the Jewish community and loved to travel.
In 2001 he and Roslyn retired to Delray Beach, Fla., and he again committed himself to caring for others and helping his community. In 2014 they relocated to Atlanta, Ga., to be closer to family but Lou retained his Florida “bachelor pad” for many years. They lived “separately” but together at Huntcliff Summit, with dad living in independent living and Roslyn in memory care. During this time, he traveled extensively on large family overseas trips, including traveling to Israel for the first time for his granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah. Other trips included Alaska, Spain, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic for his 90th birthday. Lou loved getting to know the extended family and enjoyed watching the countless antics of his grandchildren and great nieces and nephews.
Lou was predeceased by his parents, Moses and Franziska Schloss, and his brother, Kurt (Claude) Schloss and his wife of 60 years, Roslyn Schloss.
He is survived by his daughter Caryn Hanrahan (Andy Siegel) and his son Michael Schloss (Nancy Leduc). Grandchildren Rebecca Couture (Wilson), Hannah Siegel, Jonah Siegel, Sarah Schloss Rae and Locke Schloss and many nieces, grandnieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to the National Council of Jewish Women at www.ncjw.org/act/action/donate/ or National Council of Jewish Women Attn: Development Department, 2055 L St, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
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