Louis L. Hirschfeld, longtime resident of Austin, died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 100 years old on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 in Houston, Texas. Louis was born in San Francisco, California, February 19, 1911 to Hillel and Therese Hirschfeld. In 1923 when Louis's mother became too ill to care for him, he moved to North Platte, Nebraska to live with his Aunt Grace and Uncle Joe. While there, Louis enjoyed ice skating on the Platte River. While in high school he worked as a soda jerk in the town's old fashioned drugstore. In the mid-1920's he frequently went to observe airplanes take off and land and this fascination stayed with him all his life. He later moved to Lincoln to attend the University of Nebraska, where he was a member of the ZBT fraternity. Before graduating, Louis met the love of his life, Pauline Simon. In 1937, Pauline and Louis were married on Valentine's Day. They then moved to Denver, Colorado where Louis worked for his Uncle at the A.B. Hirschfeld Press. In 1938 the young couple decided to strike out on their own and moved to Austin, Texas where they spent the next 70 years. Louis founded the Lithoprint Company in 1939 and ran the business until he retired in 1982. Louis was active in the PTA, B'nai B'rith Men, Brotherhood, and Temple Beth Israel. Louis adored most all animals, especially horses, dogs and cats and was a supporter of the Austin Humane Society. He also loved spending time playing tennis and caring for and riding his horses. He also enjoyed gardening and had a special green thumb with orchids, african violets and gardenias. Louis and Pauline traveled extensively over the years, visiting 57 countries and almost every continent. Through their lifetime they enjoyed helping others and were loved and admired by many. After Pauline's death in November in of 2008 he moved to Houston, Texas. A special thank you to Max, who has been a constant companion and real source of joy. He has given Louis the unconditional love and loyalty, as only a dog can.
Published in Austin American-Statesman on Mar. 20, 2011