Gertrude Hirschfeld Meditz

Gertrude Hirschfeld Meditz passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 11, 2007 in Austin, Texas. She was born in Kottweiler-Schwanden, Germany on February 20, 1925, the daughter of Eugen Hirschfeld and Maria Lesmeister. She immigrated to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1933 with her mother, being joined later that decade by her father, who was unable to accompany them. She married John Ernest Meditz of Malverne, N.Y. in 1950. They moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where they lived for 30 years, thereafter retiring to the lovely city of Austin in 1988. In January of 2003, Gertrude suffered an incapacitating stroke leading to her residency at Monte Siesta Skilled Nursing Facility, where she remained until her death. Gertrude was a devoted and loving wife, mother, and homemaker. Her genuinely sweet personality and remarkable ability to adjust to whatever changes life brought will leave a lasting memory in the lives she touched. She was a truly sweet and gentle soul, and blessed with a genuine childlike innocence, even until her last day. Gertrude also adored her little dachshunds, of which she always managed to have at least one: Hansie, Danny, Heidi, Brutus, and Max. She also enjoyed painting, having produced several lovely watercolors of her girlhood hometown in Germany, Greenwich, and her new homeland in the Southwest. The former capturing idyllic childhood memories, and the latter showcasing the vibrancy of the rugged Texan countryside as it made impact upon a woman gone west after a lifetime in the northeast. Gertrude was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, her parents, and a little brother, who died in infancy. She is survived by her son, John R. Meditz of Austin, Texas, his wife Jeanette, and their seven children, Adriel, Reuel, Shiphrah, Shealtiel, Tirzah, Cassia, and Shalisha. She is also survived by her son Robert E. Meditz, his wife Linda, and their three daughters Caroline, Jane and Kathleen, all of Wethersfield, Connecticut. The Meditz family would like to thank the very fine staff at Monte Siesta for the excellent care they provided. A particular thank you is extended to Reuben and Virginia, for their personal and compassionate attention to Gertrude. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following organizations: St. Francis Breadline, New York, N.Y., or the Benedictine Mission House, Schuyler, Nebraska. A private memorial service will be held at a later date.