Charlotte Oppenheim

1914 - 2016

Charlotte Oppenheim

July 5, 1914 - January 22, 2016

Charlotte Oppenheim died peacefully in her home in Berkeley, CA at age 101 on January 22, 2016. Born July 5, 1914 in Germany into a Jewish family, she fled to New York with her parents in the 1930's, later settling in San Francisco. A successful, long marriage with George Oppenheim followed until his death in 1989. She was a translator for the U.S. during WWII in London and Paris, was active in the Democratic Party, was voted Volunteer of the Year by the East Bay/Richmond JCC, and was active at the North Berkeley Senior Center, running the gift shop there well into her 90's. A thirst for world travel was fueled by her work as a buyer for Burns-Philip, which took her to exotic destinations in the South Pacific and Australia. Later, in retirement, travels with George included Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, and her favorite national park, Yosemite. Cheerful, smart, an engaging conversationalist, gourmet cook, bridge player par excellence, gardener, arch-liberal, hostess with the mostest, and collector of 4-leafed clovers, she was a beloved friend to all who knew her. She is survived by Henry Oppenheim, Marc and Laurent Oppenheim, Madeline Prager, Lee Shilman, Suzy Locke, and countless cousins and friends. A dear friend wrote, "Sad, sad news. Mrs. O. sails off into another Pacific. A hole now, in the cloth of our lives." Farewell, Charlotte.