In loving memory of
Anna Lee Kahn
November 7, 1929 - August 4, 2021
Anna Lee Kahn was born in 1929, a little over a year after her parents, Louis Falkoff and Regina Rapport Falkoff, arrived in the United States from Europe with Anna Lee's sister, Benah Golden. They joined members of the Rapport and Falkoff families in the small Ohio towns of Canton and New Philadelphia. Other relatives were to follow and the extended family formed a close community they often described as a "little Europe." Jewish identity, creativity and intellectual scholarship were valued and encouraged.
Anna Lee had an enduring affinity for literature and the arts. In college, she majored in English, first at Ohio University, then at the University of Iowa at Iowa City, where she received a
Bachelor of Arts and a teaching certificate in 1951. She married Hyman Kahn who was then in medical school. Their daughters, Lisa and Isabel, were born in New York City where Dr. Kahn first practiced medicine. The family later made their home in Dallas, Texas. Hy and Anna Lee were beloved companions throughout a devoted marriage. Anna Lee enjoyed supporting Hy in his career as a physician and Hy was Anna Lee's dedicated ally.
Anna Lee earned a Master of Arts in Art History from Southern Methodist University, followed by a Doctorate in Aesthetic Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1990. Her doctoral thesis, "A Thematic Study of the Female Figure in Late Classic Maya Vessel Paintings," contributed new insights to the understanding of the iconography of female figures in the art and hieroglyphics of the Maya.
A warm, generous mother and a caring member of her extended family, she provided a secure haven rich in affection and possibility. A firm believer in optimism and hope, she cherished the happy moments and encouraged others to see the beauty in life. She is remembered by friends and family alike as kind, gentle and intelligent, a truly special soul.
She was predeceased by her husband, and survived by her daughter, Isabel Faye Kahn and grandson, Connor Smith; her daughter, Lisa Kahn Betros and son-in-law, Charles L. Betros; and her niece, Julie Golden. She was a longtime member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas and supported many Jewish organizations. The family requests donations be made to: Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas-Counseling and Therapy for Children and Teens 5402 Arapaho Road, Dallas, TX 74248 https://www.jfsdallas.org