Obituary
Mimi Grosser died at age 100 on June 9, 2026, with family at her side.
She was born July 11, 1925 to Frederick F. Greenman Harvard 1914, Harvard Law 1916 and Mildred Liebman Greenman, Wellesley 1919. Fred was a prominent corporate lawyer, active in Republican politics and in Reform Jewish organizations. Mildred was the first graduate of the Hockaday School in Dallas and was an amateur painter and potter.
Mimi grew up on Central Park West in Manhattan, graduating from the Horace Mann School for Girls. She entered Radcliffe College, majoring in history, and graduated magna cum laude in 1946. Her honors thesis covered the Paris Commune of 1871.
Mimi married George Grosser, then a teaching assistant for the sociologist Talcott Parsons, in 1946. George had been born in Vienna and arrived in the US in 1938. He was wounded when an electric saw exploded in his face, impairing his sight. They had met the night President Roosevelt died.
Mimi worked first as a cashier in a cafeteria, then in a bookstore, and finally as a textbook editor while she helped George research and write his dissertation: Juvenile Delinquency and Contemporary American Sex Roles" (1951). She accompanied him to short-term teaching jobs at Indiana University in Bloomington and Queens College
Their son, David Grosser, was born in 1954. Mimi stayed home with him several years, caring for him and doing some freelance editing.
Mimi and George returned to Cambridge, where George joined a research project, served in mental health administration, and became a therapist in private practice.
Mimi and George bought a farmhouse in the Northeast Kingdom village of Craftsbury Common, VT in the early 1950’s. They then moved a schoolhouse to a site that overlooked Little Hosmer.
Over the years, their houses on Upland Road in Cambridge and in Craftsbury Common welcomed a huge range of family and friends. Some stayed for days, others for months.
Mimi taught at Murray Road, an experimental alternative high school in Newton MA from 1969 to 1977 and earned an MA in teaching at the Harvard School of Education. After Murray Road closed, she continued teaching history at Newton North until her retirement in 1985.
In retirement, she volunteered as a mediator at the Community Dispute Settlement Center for decades. She recorded family history in writing courses. She read mysteries, participated in a book club, and played Scrabble.
George died in 2005. Mimi sold the house on Upland Road in 2008, moving into a cooperative residence a few blocks away, where her circle of friends widened.
Her hundredth birthday celebration included scores of family, teaching colleagues, former students, and dear friends.
She lived at 113 Richdale until very shortly before her death.
Mimi is survived by her brother, Frederick F. Greenman, Jr, her son, David Grosser, by Carol Yourman and granddaughters Leeza and Vika Yourman, by Catherine and Traci Lane, and by her great-grandsons Cooper, Owen, and Caleb Mandeville.
Ruth Sykes
Ruth Liebmann Sykes, Mimi's aunt, was a very special person for her.
Mimi's childhood
Mimi writing about her childhood
Mimi's Dad, Fred Greenman
Mimi writing about her Dad
Gallery
Memory wall
Mimi, I and a few of the other early occupants of 113 met with Julie at co-housing to plan for our new home. Mimi was debating throughout whether she really wanted to do this or whether she might better move to a continuing care community, and she put herself on the wait list for Brookhaven. Mimi kept the Brookhaven option open through most of her years at 113. Although it might have been sensible, she became attached to us, and we to her; so, she repeatedly decided to stay.
Mimi, Allison and I (with the addition of Chris when he moved in) were the Lower West Side. We watched Call the Midwife together whenever it was on. I had never heard of it and had to watch Mimi’s old recordings to get caught up. We frequently had meals together.
Obviously, Mimi was competent and smart. She also loved to laugh and had a great capacity for fun. It was my good fortune and privilege to have 19 years as her next-door neighbor.
(I called up Mimi and asked about Amelia). She came from Croatia. The 1940 census shows Amelia Schabauti aged 29 – she brought her daughter over – a very pretty girl with blonde curls, Freddy’s age, who stayed with at 135 CPW for a time. There were 2 small rooms and a bathroom off the kitchen for the help to stay in.
Mimi remembers herself & Barbara standing on either side of Amelia as she made drop cookies, eating as many of the cookies as they could. Mimi described her as affectionate, capable, strong – and tolerated Mimi & Barbara in the kitchen. She would take on anything. She made a wonderful pot roast, and a pork roast wrapped in suet.
The kitchen at 135 CPW had a wide window ledge (I remember it being covered with avocado plants) – Mimi would sit up there and listen to the help, who visited in the evening (there was a kitchen entrance to the apt) – as a result, she knew all sorts of gossip that Nanny and grandpa didn’t.
Amelia found Mimi and Barbara entertaining. When the US went into WWII, Amelia went and got a factory job. Nanny was indignant – why would Amelia not want to stay working as a domestic?? Mimi kept her mouth shut.
Family tree
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