Lilo Lang Siegman

From Austria, to Argentina, to America, Lilo’s life stretched three continents. She was multi- lingual, multi-cultural, and wove the fruits of these experiences into her everyday life and into the lives of her family. She was a Holocaust survivor, an international relations professional, published author, ski instructor, competitive tennis player, Spanish interpreter, a twin, wife, aunt, mother -- but the role she cherished most was being a grandmother.

Born in Vienna, Austria to Hans and Lily Lang, she and twin Sister Ines began a comfortable life which was quickly upended by an impending Nazi invasion. With foresight, their father and mother deftly fled Vienna in 1938 with a 3-year old on each hip -- taking only what fit into suitcases, and boarded a train to Annecy, France. There they remained for several months until sailing to Bueno Aires Argentina, escaping the evils of the upcoming war. In BA the twins attended an Argentine grammar school, and while safe from persecution, they still experienced anti-Semitism and found the American school provided the tolerance and acceptance they deserved. American school propelled the twins to the US, studying together at Pomona College. Lilo later received a master’s degree from John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Lilo lived in Scarsdale, NY with husband Henry (Chip) Shuldener, where they had two daughters, Laura and Lisa, who joined older siblings Jeff and Linda. Together they shared skiing (water and snow), tennis, friends and family in the New York area. In 1970, Lilo and Chip moved their family to the ski enclave of Aspen, Colorado where they continued to share their love for the mountains and skiing. Among several work endeavors in Aspen, Lilo authored two books: Aspen Early Days, a historical view of Aspen as a mining town, and Come Ski with Me, a children’s book about overcoming the fear of skiing, featuring her youngest daughter Lisa and local classmates and friends.

Once her nest was empty, Lilo moved to Santa Monica California to live near her mother, Lily Lang; they shared 25 more years together. There she worked as a certified Spanish interpreter, continued playing tennis, and enjoyed annual ski trips with her sister and daughters. She met and married Howard Siegman in 1994.

On her 70th birthday in 2004, Lilo wrote her biography entitled Come Share My Memories. Dedicated to and written foremost for her grandchildren, the book shares her life memories and the words she lives by, including:

• Love your family and keep them close to your heart. Create a chain of love that is too strong to break, even if you disagree or go down different paths in life.

• Help keep our earth safe and beautiful, it is our home and our duty to preserve it.

• Find work that is right for you, that fulfills you and that you enjoy doing.

• Don’t dislike people because they are different, it is our differences that make our world interesting.

The book’s paramount message: from the moment she became a grandmother, she found that “Being your Omi is what I like best”. She was fiercely proud of her grandchildren, sharing milestones, attending athletic events and performances and traveling with them. Her undemanding love, understanding and affection never wavered.

Following her mother’s passing in 2010, Lilo and Howard returned to Colorado, so she could again be in the mountains and live close to her daughter Laura’s family.

Lilo is survived by husband Howard Siegman, sister Ines Match, daughters Laura Shuldener Elliott and Lisa Shuldener Taft, step-son Jeff Shuldener and grandchildren Lily Taft, Hank Taft, Melissa Elliott, Matthew Elliott and Danica Beery.

Lilo benefited from twice-weekly transfusions in the last three years of her life and the family asks that donations in her honor be made to their local blood banks. If eligible, please pay it forward by donating blood or by making an in-kind donation. In Colorado, donations can be made to Bonfils Blood Center.