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Dorothy Pfeil Kane

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Dorothy Kane Obituary

Visit the Legacy Remembers website to view the full obituary.

Dorothy Pfeil Kane, age 97 of Waldwick, NJ, died October 4, 2022, in Ridgewood, NJ. She leaves behind her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her husband Edward W. Kane preceded her in death in 2000.

Grieving her loss are daughters Susan (Greg Palitz)and Sally, and son Brian (Jeanine).

Grandsons Sam Palitz (Lauren Bertolini), Ben Palitz (Rachael Congdon), Rory Kane, granddaughters Brielle Nagy (James) and Emma Palitz (Adam VanAken), and great grandchildren Abe Palitz, James Kane Nagy, and Meadow Nagy.

Dorothy was born in Pittsburgh, PA on September 3,1925 to Marion Loupe Pfeil and Kenneth J. Pfeil. The family later moved to Wheeling, WV, where she was educated through high school at Mount de Chantal Academy. A dedicated piano student, Dorothy was accepted to the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH. She graduated in 1947 with a degree in piano performance and voice. She then began her lifelong career of teaching piano, beginning with an engagement at a school in Charlottesville, VA and ultimately moving to New York, NY, continuing to teach and take postgraduate studies at The Juilliard School. She met her husband Edward W. Kane while moonlighting at Carnegie Hall as an usher (enabling her to attend many concerts for free). They moved to Fort Lee, NJ after their marriage in 1952 and began family life, raising their three children. Dorothy continued to teach piano privately, instructing untold hundreds of young people and adults over the years until she finally retired at the age of 88. She was also an active performer, playing duets with violinist Albert Hemmerlin for many years, and participating in the Piano Teachers Guild annual Two Piano Festival. Although she had a wide repertoire of classical pieces at her disposal, far and away her favorite composer was Frederic Chopin, and she interpreted many of his compositions with delicacy, grace, and feeling.

Dorothy's family and friends will greatly miss her calm disposition, strong moral compass, kindness, and her devotion to family. A celebration of her life will be held January 14, 2023, at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, NJ.