Mimi Wolfe

1934 - 2017

Mimi Wolfe

November 7 1934 – July 16 2017

All who knew Mimi were touched by her generosity, inquiring spirit, and her capacity to see and live the fullness in every day. Mimi's enthusiasm for life was felt by all that knew her. Her desire to engage deeply was felt by her family and close friends and even those with whom she only had brief acquaintance. Never one for small talk, Mimi loved to engage others in conversations about things that matter.
She moved from Michigan to the Bay Area in 1958 with her then husband, Sim Van der Ryn. Raising her three children in 1960's Berkeley, Mimi earned her teaching credential. A dedicated life-long learner, she was always exploring what was new and interesting from how to cook in a wok to letting her kids tie-dye every white item in their closet including their underwear. In 1981, Mimi earned her Masters in Social Work and became a licensed psychotherapist with a practice in Napa, California, a profession that was a natural fit with her empathetic, peacemaking nature and her intellectual curiosity, and continued this practice until her passing.
Even in her 70's and 80's Mimi continued her adventures far and wide. She was always up for a good road trip with friends. Four years ago she and three friends drove to Montana to visit Glacier Park, an experience that awed her. Two years ago, Mimi traveled to Paris to take an art history course for three weeks and continued her adventures into Arles the heart of Van Gogh land. She also travelled far and wide for the birth of her grandchildren, including New York, Spain, New Zealand and Samoa, always there to help and support these significant life events in her family. She was an avid reader/thinker, and recently admitted her addiction to the internet due to the ease of investigation and connection to ideas and information—she was hooked.
Mimi was both joyfully independent and energetically social. She loved art and culture and made sure that all of her eight grandchildren had books to read and watercolors to paint the world that she loved.

Mimi is survived by her three children, Julia, Micah and Ethan and her grandchildren, Damiano, Luna, Jacob, Joshua, Lisa, Noah, Eli, and Alofaluna, and her brother Robert Wolfe.

A memorial service will be held 2PM, Monday, July 24, 2017 at Congregation Beth Shalom in Napa.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Mimi's name to ACLU or Heifer International.