Waltraud Kohm

Waltraud (Braun) Kohm, 88 of Cranston died peacefully at home on March 5, 2020. She was the devoted wife of Rolf C. Kohm for 65 years. 

Born in Altenburg, Germany in 1931, she was the daughter of the late Frieda and Alfred K. Braun.  Waltraud affectionately known as “Trudy”, became a US citizen at seventeen but always remembered Germany as her first home.  She immigrated to the United States in 1946 and graduated from Roslindale High School in 1949 where she made many lifetime friends. She lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts until 1954 when she married and moved to Cranston. With three children, Trudy was very involved in her community as Cub Scout Den Mother, Brownie Leader and Library Aide for Cranston Public Schools. She was also a member of the Cranston Garden Club for many years and always knew the name of every flower both in English and German. When her children became school age, Trudy worked full time at Kunzmann Chain for 25 years.

The family has been very blessed with Trudy’s unconditional love and outpouring of kindness throughout her life.  Trudy’s devotion to her children and grandchildren was unsurpassed with her constant show of support at the many sporting events, music and dance recitals, award ceremonies and graduations no matter how far the distance. Nothing was an inconvenience for Trudy when it came to her children or grandchildren. Trudy also loved hosting any special occasion but especially enjoyed family gatherings for the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries.  She lovingly prepared all of her traditional German gourmet specialties keeping the German heritage alive.  Waltraud must also be remembered for her tremendous respect for life and love of animals, especially cats of which she had many over the years.  In her retirement, Trudy loved to travel as long as she didn’t leave the ground!  Aboard ships and trains and on many bus trips and road trips she explored this great country.

Besides her loving husband Rolf, she is survived by three of their four children; Christian Kohm and his wife Janet of Old Saybrook , Connecticut,  Karl Kohm and his wife Joanne of Cranston, daughter Ann Collins and her husband Edward of North Smithfield. She was the mother of the late Annette Kohm.  She was a loving grandmother to Katharine Kohm and her partner Lindsay Votto of Cranston, Steven Kohm and his fiancée Alyssa Gaines of Seekonk, Massachusetts,   Alexis Colton (Collins) and her husband Will of Lancaster, Massachusetts, Mark Collins and his wife Erin of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Amanda Collins and her partner Bailey Christenson of Denver, Colorado, Emma Kohm and her fiancée Derek DiStefano of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Audra Kohm of Old Saybrook, Connecticut and was great grandmother to Julius Colton, Finnegan Collins and most recently, Artemis Elizabeth Collins.  She was the sister of the late Doris Erickson, Elsa Peterman and Veronica Braun O’Dell.

Her Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday March 11th at 9:30am in The Butterfield Chapel 500 Pontiac Avenue Cranston.  Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Park Johnston.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4:00-7:00pm. 

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Cranston Animal Shelter 920 Phenix Avenue Cranston,  RI 02921.