Beatrice Sichel

SICHEL, Beatrice
Of Kalamazoo, Michigan Passed away November 12, 2010 at her residence. Beatrice was born May 26, 1934 in Nurnberg, Germany, a daughter of Martin and Miriam Bonne. She lived in Nurnberg until she was 5 years old and escaped from Nazi Germany on the historic ill-fated ship the St. Louis and landed in Cuba. She later came to New York City where she grew up and graduated from Hunter College High School. She also graduated with a Chemistry Bachelors Degree from City College of New York in 1955 and later received a MS Degree in Chemistry from Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Upon graduation she became employed as a research chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. She met Werner Sichel and they were united in marriage on February 22, 1959 and moved to the Chicago area where she continued her career as a chemist. She then moved to Kalamazoo in 1960 where she was a stay at home mom for 10 years. In 1972, she received a MA degree in Library Science. Beatrice then was employed with WMU, rising to become head of the Physical Sciences Library for 17 years and later served for 9 years as the head of the Circulation Department for all WMU Libraries. Beatrice was a member and leader of the Congregation of Moses in Kalamazoo. She was preceded in death by her parents and by a brother Jack Bonne in 2009. Surviving are her husband Werner of Kalamazoo; a son Dr. Larry Miriam Sichel of Raleigh, NC and a daughter Linda Rick Nachenberg of Columbia, MD; 6 grandchildren, Jacob, Adam and Ethan Sichel and Jay, Koby and Ty Nachenberg; and a sister-in-law Bette Bonne of Poundridge, NY. Services will be held on Sunday at 2 pm at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St. with Rabbi Harvey Spivak officiating. Interment will follow in Jewish Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Beatrice's memory may be made to the Congregation of Moses. Please visit www.langelands.com to sign the online register book and leave a condolence to the family.