Marion Kreith Obituary

Marion Kreith - Boulder, Colorado 1927 - 2025

Marion Kreith died of heart failure on December 27th, 2025. She was lucid and in good

spirits to the very end, and she wanted to make sure to thank everyone who crossed

her path for what they contributed, in one way or another, to make her life as rich as it

was.

Marion was born in Altona, Germany. Her parents, John and Rose Finkels, owned a

small dry goods store and life was comfortable until Hitler started his plan to exterminate

all Jews. In 1938 the family emigrated to Belgium and then to Cuba. Her daughter

Judy, with the help of cinematographer Robin Truesdale, made a film about her life in

Havana called 'Cuba's Forgotten Jewels : A Haven in Havana'. The jewels refer to her

working in the diamond industry in order to support her family. The family was finally

allowed to come to the states in March of 1946, and they settled in Los Angeles. It was

there that she met her husband Frank Kreith and with him she had an extraordinarily

exciting life. Frank became a well known engineer and educator in both heat transfer

and solar energy, and they traveled all over the world, always combining a professional

meeting with a great vacation. They had three children, Michael , Marcia and Judy who

made her exceedingly happy. Marion had many jobs: she was a Democratic Precinct

Woman for two ten- year stints; she helped her husband in his professional work; while

getting an MA in French at C.U. she taught preliminary French classes and was also

invited to give a class of French literature in English translation in the Honors Program.

She had a short stint teaching reading to the inmates at the Boulder jail. She and

Frank owned some real estate, and Marion became a kind and conscientious landlady

to her many renters. She was happy to have been invited to the Retired Faculty Book

Club and wishes its members well. She felt that except for the Holocaust and losing her

son to suicide, she lived a blessed life for which she was exceedingly grateful.

Marion is survived by her two daughters, Marcia (George Horsham) and Judy (Chris

Jenkins) and three grandchildren: Sarah and Arielle Klein and her Irish grandson Daniel

Kreith; by her sister Ada Bakalar and her two children, Aaron and Andrea, and

Andrea's children, Kohl and Madison. She also has an extended family in Belgium. On

her husband's side she is survived by Kurt Kreith and his family and by the Culler family.

There is a lovely Jewish phrase that says that the best legacy a person can leave

behind is a "Shem Tov" - a good name. We feel that Marion has fulfilled that legacy

well.

If you wish to make a memorial donation, please send it to

Clinica Health and Wellness - 1455 Dixon Ave. Lafayette, CO 80026

The Colorado Musical Festival, or a charity of your choice.

There will be a celebration of life for Marion in the near future.