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Rita Greenacre 1924 - 1986

Rita (Blum) Greenacre of Sproul Road, in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania United States was born on March 22, 1924 to Josef Blum and Elsa (Spitz) Blum. She had a brother Curt Blum. She married George Robert Greenacre on May 22, 1940, and had children Colette Greenacre Hammond, Sandra Greenacre Kanhofer, and Cara Greenacre Staurowski. Rita Greenacre died at age 61 years old on January 1, 1986.

Rita (Blum) Greenacre

Sproul Road, in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania United States

March 22, 1924

January 1, 1986

Female

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Rita Greenacre Rita Greenacre (1924 - 1986)

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Rita (Blum) Greenacre's History: 1924 - 1986

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Introduction

Rita (Blum) Greenacre was my nanny. She and my granddad, George Greenacre (June 15, 1923 - July 26, 1992), met in either the late 30s or early 40s, after she, her mother (Elsa) and her brother (Curt) fled Vienna Austria (separately) during Hitler's occupation. George was from a family in Munford, England. Both Rita and George were in the army when they met, and married shortly after (I think it was 1942). On December 3, 1944 my mother, Colette, was born. Granddad was there at the birth...they had sent him hunting. Mom was born in the farmhouse, and it was a race between the cow having a calf that day in the barn and mom being born. Sadly, who won that race has been lost to the ages. But mom is still here, so I think she won in the long run. Shortly after that, Granddad was sent back overseas to serve in North Africa. The story goes that my mom didn't like this stranger when he returned from the war effort a year or so later. In 1948 they emigrated to the United States, first in Chicago, where some of the surviving Spitz's (Nanny's mother's family) had settled when they were able to flee Austria. A few years later the 3 of them moved to Philadelphia, where Nanny's brother, Uncle Curt (??? - January 6 or 8, 1987), had settled with their mother, Elsa (1894 - June 1983). Curt (born either June 22 or 24, 1920) never married. He and his mother are interred in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Elsa remarried sometime after arriving in America to a terrible person (Cooper) who I thankfully never met. Anyway, Nanny was a wonderful person. She was intelligent, funny, loved her family dearly, and showered us with attention until the day she died. She had 3 daughters, my mother Colette, her middle daughter, Aunt Sandra (married Uncle Joseph Walter Kanhofer (we call him Uncle Wally, though his only sister calls him Joe, and he is Uncle Joe to her kids...I never knew this until his youngest son's wedding (Brian)), and her youngest, Aunt Cara (married Uncle Phillip Staurowski...a master carpenter, and he has mad skills/talent). According to my father, Nanny was also brave. She apparently did some things like run messages in and out of the Jewish ghetto as a young child, as she could pass for a non-Jew. He made it sound inspiring, but didn't have a lot of details. Only that his mother-in-law had some serious courage. Her grandfather on her father's side (Josef Blum was Elsa's husband, Nanny's father, my great grandfather) died after 5 or 6 years in a concentration camp (disappeared on Kristallnacht, and camp records show his death in 1943 or 44...my cousin Danny, a historian/professor, Wally and Sandra's oldest son, found this out while doing research). Josef died shortly after he and Curt tried to escape out of the country around the same time as his father's disappearance. Nanny died on January 1, 1986, at age 61. She was to have 2 valves replaced in her heart, and during some routine test on December 3, 1985 (mom's 41st birthday) her artery was torn, and she had a massive heart attack. She was out of the hospital in time for Christmas, but suffered another heart attack 2 days later, and died a few hours after surgery on January 1, at 11:46 am. Odd note, though she was Jewish, my mom and aunt's were raised Methodist because when they moved out of Philadelphia to Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania (early 50s, right before Cara was born) the C.C. Hancock Church on Sproul Road (route 320) was being built. My sister, Stacey Colleen Barton (born January 22, 1971) and I were baptized there, and my mom and dad (Colette Greenacre Hammond and William Merrill "Chuck" Hammond (October 26, 1944 - June 28, 2022)) and my aunts and uncles were married (my parents on May 22, 1965). As a result, we celebrated Christian traditions/holidays. My nanny, who was a Jew, kept Christmas better than anyone I ever knew. She was insane with Christmas decorations/gifts/etc. I think because it was a time of family, which meant everything to her. She should be remembered for one thing above all else. Her love for family and friends. She was a giant among people because of how much she loved. Rita Blum Greenacre was one of the greatest people to ever walk the earth. Rest of her family: Colette married William (Chuck) Hammond, Rita's grandchildren: Colin Derek Hammond (3/18/1970) (I was Granddad's favorite...there, I said it out loud for the rest of you guys to know), married, Denise Marie (Koob) Hammond, 2 children, Ryan Connor Hammond, 8/8/2000, about to graduate from Shippensburg and become a teacher, and Maureen Alexis Hammond, 4/13/2002, rising 2nd classman (Junior) United States Coast Guard Academy); Stacey Colleen Barton (1/22/1971) (married Michael Barton in August 1997), 2 children, Jack Barton, 7/12/00, May 2023 graduate of James Madison with a business degree, and will be getting his graduate degree from there next year (2024), and Samuel Barton (Sammy), born 9/11/04, and about to graduate Downingtown East high school and will be attending Colgate University next year. Sandra married Joseph Walter (Wally) Kanhofer, Rita's grandchildren: Daniel Kanhofer (born 8/2/84) (married in 2019 I think, really cool place, at a shipwreck in Maine to Caroline, 2 children (Hal and Elizabeth Kanhofer, twins born 2020), Brian Kanhofer (married Corrine Casey Kanhofer, 1 child so far, son Trevor (TJ) born 2021, really cute kid, but he peed on me on his first Christmas, and I don't know if I can forgive him (wink, wink), 1 daughter on the way) Cara married Phillip Staurowski, Rita's grandchildren: Alysia Staurowski, married, born 4/9/1979, Michael Staurowski (born 5/10/1983), and Robert Staurowksi, born 10/25/1988. Now you know more than you ever wanted to know about Rita (Blum) Greenacre, and her descendants.
03/22

1924

Birthday

March 22, 1924

Birthdate

Unknown

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Rita was born and raised in Vienna Austria. She was Jewish. She fled to England, we always thought Kindertransport, but cannot verify this, and my father said right before he passed away that she may have gotten out another way, though he did not say how or why. But either way, she was fleeing the Nazis.
Early Life & Education

Unknown. As stated in other places, she fled Austria while in her early teens. She was taken in by a family near Norfolk, England. I presume she did get some schooling there, but she did not attend college and ended up joining the Army to help the war effort.
Religious Beliefs

She was raised Jewish.
Military Service

Yes, served in the British Army during World War II.
Professional Career

She worked at different jobs during her life. I don't much about early on, but my grandparents moved to Philadelphia for a business opportunity my Uncle Curt found for them. They bought a diner. Her family had owned coffee houses in Vienna before Hitler stole them, so she grew up watching her father and uncles run them. So my Nanny ran that during the day, and my Granddad, who was a carpenter, ran it at night after working all day as a carpenter. After they sold that and moved to Springfield I believe she was a full time mother, though in the 70s and 80s she did work at the front office at the Springfield Country Club pool checking IDs. But I think that was for socializing mostly. By then my Granddad had a nice carpentry business (they were not rich, but he did well and took care of the family). Her greatest profession was being a family person. World's best Nanny (grandmother). I know, we all think that (or should if we are lucky), but I had 2 of them (grandmothers), and only one made it into this category. Rita was incredible.
Personal Life & Family

She and Granddad loved square dancing. They were also very active in the Republican party. She was President of the Philadelphia Republican Women's Committee for a time, then a founder and President of the Delaware County Republican Women's Committee. She also worked at Springfield Country Club in the summers at the front gate checking membership cards. And finally she loved the slots in Atlantic City. Most of all, she loved her family. And making jello-molds. Not a joke. And she put weird things in them. Carrots. Grapes. I stuck to the jello and coolwhip parts. Ate around the healthy stuff.
01/1

1986

Death

January 1, 1986

Death date

Heart Attack due to Doctor's Error

Cause of death

Unknown
Death location

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