Charles and Annie DeHoff Anna's Paternal Grandparents
Grandmom and Grandpa DeHoff were very special to
Anna and they shared an important, loving bond. Sadly, both have
passed away and will only be able to share this special day with
Anna and Josh in spirit.
Charles passed away suddenly when Anna was 4 years
old. She can recall the pain of losing him just like it was yesterday.
Some of her favorite memories are of them sharing peanut butter
crackers at the kitchen table and him kissing her goodbye then rubbing
his stubble across her chubby face. They were very close and she
adored him immensely.
Annie was the quintessential housewife. She
was an amazing chef, the curer of all wounds, and above all a truly
loving soul. She taught Anna many things including teaching her
about the kind of person she wanted to be. Simply, a shining example
of a mother and wife.
Robert and Athey "Faye" Schleimer Anna's Maternal Grandparents
Anna’s
beloved Grandparents sadly are not here to take part in the most
important day of her life but she knows that they will be looking
over them joyfully.
Robert was a strong Navy man who proudly worked
for the ATF for many, many years. He was an example of strength
in the family coupled along with a deep laugh and amusing sense
of humor. Hearing him laugh, it simply was contagious.
Faye was the epitome of strength as a wife.
She balanced a career in fashion and raising 4 children. She was
always a lady, never leaving the house without looking just so.
Her hair always styled and lipstick was a must. Feminine strength
is the perfect way to describe her.
In December 2004, Joshua�s family mourned the loss of Seymour Kaftan, Joshua�s maternal grandfather. A Holocaust survivor and a man with a very colorful background, the family celebrated his life by remembering the contributions he made to the family and grandchildren.
As an artist, Seymour was recognized and celebrated for his Jewish themed work in both oils and metal. As a grandfather, his artistic influence is present in all his grandchildren. Joshua�s artistic abilities, inherited by his grandfather, have centered on animation, design, and web development.
Seymour met Anna in September 2004, and gave his approval to Joshua. It was Seymour�s wish to dance at Joshua�s wedding, his oldest grandson. Although he cannot join us in person, the couple and Joshua�s family knows he�ll be there in spirit.
Jacob (Jack) Kollin died when Joshua was
very young. Grandpa Jack was a patent/copyright attorney, business
owner, and, like Joshua, a movie producer. Nicknamed "Smiling Jack",
he was known as a good salesman where his talents are exampled by
his ability to sell iceboxes to Eskimos. Joshua has inherited, in
addition to his height, this talent of 'finagling'.
Jack was an avid boatsman, having built and
maintained his own boats in New York. When Joshua worked at DisneyWorld,
one of his jobs was to pilot boats around EPCOT's World Showcase.
Joshua's inherited love of boating started there thanks to his grandfathers
love of the sport.
In September 2005, Joshua, Anna, and their
families mourned the passing of Hermine “Grand Mimi”
Kollin; Joshua’s paternal grandmother. Considered by may to
be the matriarch of the Kollin family and a respected member of
her community in Forrest Hills, Hermine was always looked to as
a source of strength, common sense, and perseverance by those who
loved and knew her.
Hermine, a retired New York schoolteacher, spent
much of her retirement years traveling the globe to places like
China (where she was a regular fixture, going three times), Europe,
South America, Africa, and Australia. While in England, she earned
an honorary degree from Oxford.
Hermine’s nickname, Grand Mimi, originates
from Joshua’s early childhood. As a toddler, Joshua could
not pronounce “Hermine”, but could pronounce the Kollin
family cat’s name; Mimi. Since then, he has, and continues
to call Hermine, by her nickname Grand Mimi.
Grand Mimi got to know Anna over several
visits and by the time she died, regarded her as her granddaughter.
