Lotte Streisinger

Lotte Streisinger Lotte Seilman was born in Munich, Germany, in 1927 and grew up a Jewish child in Nazi Germany. In 1937, she immigrated to America with her family just before the Holocaust. At Cornell University, she met her husband, George Streisinger. They lived and traveled in many great places while he pursued his career in molecular biology and she took up work in clay. While they were in Pasadena at Cal Tech in 1950s, two daughters were born to them: Lisa and Cory. In 1960, they moved to Eugene, Oregon, where George Streisinger became one of the founding members of the Institute of Molecular Biology at the University of Oregon. Lotte Streisinger continued her work in clay and in 1960, with a group of friends, founded the Eugene Saturday Market. She also administered Art in Public Places in the Hult Center, the 1970s group of science buildings at the University of Oregon, the Eugene Airport, and the Knight Library. When clay work became too heavy she took up printmaking and later watercolors. She wrote two books illustrated with her prints, “From the Sidelines: A Personal History of the Institute of Molecular Biology” and “The Potter and the Muse: The Creative Process Illustrated Through the Medium of Clay.” Her husband died in 1984 but she is survived by her brother Peter Sielman, daughters Lisa Adatto (Tom O’Connor) and Cory Streisinger, and two grandchildren, Daniel and Suzanne Adatto. Lotte died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family. Contributions in her name may be made to NCAP (Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides) P.O. Box 1393, Eugene, OR 97440. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, January 6th, 2018 at 5:30pm at Temple Beth Israel. Arrangements entrusted to Musgrove Family Mortuary.