December 1, 2023 – May 14, 2023
On Sunday, May 14 all the Angels in Heaven swept down upon Janet Klemperer Broudy and gathered her up and carried her to heaven to be with her family, Dr. Wolfgang Klemperer, Wolfgang Thomas Klemperer, Susan Klemperer and Tom and Evelyn Fitzsimmons. Janet was born December 1, 1923 in Newark, New Jersey. She grew up in Maplewood and was the beloved only daughter of Evelyn and Thomas Fitzsimmons. Janet attended high school in Maplewood followed by Mary Washington University in Virginia.
In 1947 Mom graduated from Yale University School of Nursing where she met Dr. Wolfgang Klemperer who was teaching neurosurgery. Janet and Wolfgang Klemperer were married on the Yale campus in June of 1947 and then moved to Seattle where Dr. Klemperer practiced neurosurgery at Swedish Hospital. In December 1950 Janet and Wolfgang moved to Mercer Island where they raised their four children Susan, Kathryn, Mary and Wolfgang. Janet and Wolfgang both loved gardening and spent many hours working in their garden on Mercer Island. Later in life Mom would love spending time on her terrace; reading, tending to her garden, and enjoying Lake Washington and Seward Park beyond. Janet and Wolfgang were passionate travelers – hiking and skiing in the Alps, traveling through Europe, Japan, Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Janet studied French and German at the Women’s University Club in Seattle. She and her friends started Les Femmes Savant, a spin-off of the French class; enjoying reading, writing and entertaining all in French. Mom became an excellent cook as well and loved entertaining friends for dinner. After the death of Dr. Klemperer Mom remarried Leo Broudy in 1989. They loved a good hand of bridge, playing golf and spending time with family and friends in Butte, Montana, Palm Dessert and Mercer Island.
Although still keeping her Mercer Island residence, in 2018 Mom moved to Horizon House in Seattle where she happily spent the rest of her life. Mom was a remarkable woman and had an extraordinary life but her greatest love was her children, her grandchildren and great grandchildren and for many years traveled to California and Boston to be with them. She was happiest just being Mom and loved every bit of it. She was kind, generous, patient and full of joy for life.
Janet was an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Mercer Island and the Washington Athletic Club. She was instrumental in teaching in the classroom for the Head Start Program in Seattle in its early years.
We love you Mom with all of our hearts and miss you dearly. With love from your children: Kathryn Klemperer, Mary Donahue (John); grandchildren: Katie Shaksy (Matt), Moira Angel (Angelo), Ben Donahue, Annika Klemperer Braunstein (Brad); great grandchildren: Maya and Hannah Shasky, Raiquen and Taihel Angel.
A memorial service for Janet Klemperer Broudy will be held on Saturday July 29 at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Mercer Island. Any remembrances may be made to Horizon House Employee Recognition Fund.
