Obituary of Esther Mosse Mann

Esther Mosse Mann: Esther was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn. Her parent’s Fanny Negrin was born in Kastoria Greece, her Father Gabriel Angel was born in Istanbul Turkey. Esther grew up with her younger brother Abraham “Butch” Angel (5 years younger, who passed away less than a year ago: March 2023). Esther often cared for Butch after school, and the two became very close. She also lived near her Great Uncle, Abraham Negrin, who became like a big brother to her. After high school, my mother fell in love with Abraham Mosse. He had grown up in Thessaloniki Greece, and was the only survivor of his family from the Holocaust. They lived a few years in New York, but eventually made their way to the Los Angeles area. A year after they moved, they had their only child, a son Leon. The sun and life in Southern California attracted the rest of the family, and eventually the entire family moved west. Butch and his wife Barbara had 3 children (Lewis, Celia, and Felicia), Al Negrin and Sarah had 2 children (Larry and Linda), and her other Great Uncle, Joe Negrin came out with his wife Esther, who also had 3 children (Robin, Leon and David). For many years the Mosse, Negrin and Angel families lived near each other, but eventually our own little diaspora took place. Esther went to work for a Catholic Nursing Home called Marycrest Manor. She worked in their main office, and quickly became friends with the Nuns who ran the home. When Leon made his Bar Mitzvah, some of the Sisters came to the services. They encouraged Esther to go back to college and get her degree. She graduated from West LA College with a 4.0 GPA and was top of her class. She went on to become the Office Manager at Marycrest and retired after 29 years. In 1989, Esther became a grandmother! Leon and his wife Eileen had their only child, a son Gabriel Abraham Mosse. Grandma and Grandpa took great delight in doting over Gabe. Like his mother Gabe grew up and found a passion in the medical world. Both Eileen and Gabe are RN’s and worked in the Emergency Room. Leon also went into the emergency world and spent over 30 years as a Police Officer and Fire Fighter. Unfortunately, about the time Esther retired, Abraham Mosse, became very ill. She tended to him until he passed in 2000. Esther had planned on traveling with him, but it was not meant to be. About a year later, she met Mel Mann, who happened to run a travel group of folk dancers. For over 20 years, they would go on to travel around many parts of the world, and attend many folk-dance festivals. Esther found her new passion in dancing and traveling. She also loved to cook, and often took on the role of head chef for a festival she and Mel helped put on in Berkeley California. Both Esther and Mel were active and proud members of the Berkeley Folk Dance group. Should you desire, donations can be made in Esther’s name to the U.S. Holocaust Museum or to the Berkeley Folk Dance Group.