Doris Grasshoff

Doris Livingston Grasshoff July 12, 1927 - Feb. 6, 2012 Doris embraced every aspect of life, especially sharing its highlights with beloved family and friends: a scenic picnic, fresh seasonal crab, a stirring program at SF Symphony and a bold exhibit at MOMA. She loved lectures at Fromm Institute and was an avid volunteer, independent thinker, terrific chef and gracious hostess. She was enriched by the people who shared these experiences with her - Our Crowd, her close friends, various bridge groups, Emanu-El's Museum Committee . . . and of course, extended family, whom she held together with her daisy chain of love. Born in Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany to Greta & Eric Livingston, she survived Kristallnacht (November 9-10, 1938) before emigrating at age 11 with her parents and 5 year old sister, Vera, to San Francisco in 1939. Doris graduated from Washington High ('45) and UC Berkeley ('49) a Delta Phi Epsilon, with a BS in Public Health. She married Harold J. Simon, also a German Jewish immigrant to SF, in 1949 before leaving for Boston, where she worked at Pfizer Labs. They moved to New York City in 1955, where daughters Leslie and Lynne were born. In 1959, the family relocated to Menlo Park to join the School of Medicine community at Stanford. Then, in 1966 to La Jolla, where Harold helped create UC San Diego School of Medicine. Doris returned to San Francisco in 1973 following her divorce, working in catering and events at The Sheraton Palace, and later with the American Cancer Society and The American Lung Association where she designed and taught smoking cessation programs. Doris volunteered with SF region of ORT, the Museum Committee and Sisterhood at Congregation Emanu-El, JCRC, JFCS, among others. Her second marriage to Richard Grasshoff ended after 22 years in 1997. She lives on in the hearts of her two daughters, Leslie Simon (San Diego) and Lynne Simon (Corte Madera), whom her sister credits for extending their mother's life by at least five years by skillfully managing her care with unwavering intelligence, proactivity and love. She is missed and remembered by her granddaughters Adrienne Simon Krichman and Portia Simon Krichman (San Diego), sister Vera Livingston Stein (Hal), nephew Peter Livingston Stein (Brian Freeman), niece Deborah Stein Hoffman (Craig) and their children Jessia and Gabriel; nieces Susan Coliver (Bob Herman), Sandra Coliver, Carol Levin (Gary) and daughters, Lori Rosolowsky (Mark) and sons, Renee Hamilton (Paul) and children; step-son Thomas Grasshoff (Rike) and daughter Simone, best friend Midge Kretchmer and many others. Deepest thanks to her 'A' Team of physicians and nurses during the Scleroderma decade, which began with a diagnosis by legendary Dr. Kenneth Fye and continued with handpicked teams from CPMC and UCSF supported by the loving care at San Francisco Towers. Her extraordinary quarterbacks, Drs. Tamiko Kat-sumoto and Marilyn Kutzscher, among many others helped extend Doris' charmed run until her graceful, mindful death. Contributions to honor Doris' life may be made in her name to San Francisco Symphony; the Elizabeth S. Fine Museum at Temple Emanu-El; and UCSF Foundation, P.O. Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339 ("Rosalind Russell Arthritis Center - for Scleroderma Research" should be written on memo line).