Family Roots

1947

Ronnie Landfield was born (Ronald T. Landfield) coincidently on his brother Barry Sanford Landfield’s fifth birthday) January ninth 1947, in the Bronx New York. He was the second of two children born to Hilda Landfield (October 24, 1914-April 1, 1972) and Nathan Landfield (July 23, 1912-November 16, 2002).

Nathan Landfield was born in Denver Colorado, and he grew up near Cleveland Ohio. He permanently moved to New York in 1930. Saddened by the death of his horse Rusty and interested in adventure, and finding work, he decided to see New York and reunite with his older brother Bill, whom he found living and working in Brooklyn.

Nathan was the fourth of seven children (William, Jack, Ben, David, Bertha and Blanche) born to Samuel and Gussie (nee Morgenstern) Landfield – émigrés from Russia and Sweden. Eventually by the 1940’s the entire family moved to New York. Samuel died in 1956 and Gussie died in 1961.

Nathan or Nate as he was called was a man of many talents, something of a Jack of many trades. He was a mechanic, a salesman, a truck driver, a chef, and a proprietor of a delicatessen, a foreman, a cab driver, an exterminator, a siding man, a smoke-enders teacher, and various other jobs. He was well read, well liked by most people, gregarious and friendly by nature, He was beloved by children and he always carried balloons in his pocket with the chance that he might entertain a child, he was beloved by animals too, partially because he was fearless. In later years he kept a large quantity of birdseed in the trunk of his car and fed the birds near his house often. He was also very popular with women.

Nate resembled Clark Gable, although at 5’6” he was probably a little shorter. He always sported a well-trimmed mustache and he kept himself in good physical shape throughout most of his life. Nate spoke with a moderately deep voice; he wore glasses, had an easy smile, he had wavy black hair and pale blue eyes. He loved to read, and in later years was extremely active in community service. Doing volunteer work at Calvary Hospital for more than twenty years. Nathan was also active for many years in the B’nai Brith and the United Jewish Appeals organizations.

Hilda Landfield married Nathan Landfield on her 23rd birthday October 24th 1937. Hilda was the fourth of six children (Rebecca, Bella, Sarah, Al and Max) born to Max and Rosa, émigrés from the Austrian Empire in what is today Krakow, Poland.

Hilda was born and raised in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. As a young teenager she and her family moved to the Bronx. She was a very attractive young woman with fair complexion, wavy reddish blond hair and grey-green eyes. Hilda was somewhat petite at around 5’1”, and she usually weighed less then 100 pounds. Hilda was an accomplished bookkeeper and worked at bookkeeping most of her life, for various different company’s in the Bronx and Manhattan. She was proud of her independence. Hilda was devoted and loyal to her family; a lifelong advocate of higher learning and she was very well read.

Hilda’s sister Sarah (Sadie) was married to Nate’s older brother Bill when Hilda decided to marry into the Landfield family. All of her brothers and sisters lived in New York City with the exception of her brother Al who moved with his wife Ethel to Albany, New York, and Sylvia Berke who divorced Hilda’s youngest brother Max and moved with their son Robert to Los Angeles in 1953.

Hilda’s father died in the 1918 influenza epidemic, when he was 34 years old, and her mother Rose died in 1945. Her sister Sarah Landfield died in April of 1960 at the age of 46.

Hilda was very close with her family. Sarah and Hilda were one year apart in age and they were particularly close. They looked alike and they sounded alike and Hilda was profoundly saddened when Sarah died. Hilda enjoyed playing mahjong with her friends, and she was in general a social person, popular and well liked by everyone who knew her. Hilda was also an intensely sensitive person – easily hurt, and she was basically a private person.

Hilda was strong willed, always very aware of her responsibilities, she always went to work, contributing to the financial needs of her family. She instilled a sense of confidence, accomplishment, willfulness, independence and well being in her children. She placed a very high premium on education, loyalty and telling the truth. Throughout her life she was basically a good-hearted, generous, warm, strong-minded and slightly innocent individual who always expected the best from people. Hilda always stood her ground, fiercely protective of her family.

Growing up with a large family in New York on both sides, Ronnie often gathered together with his relatives on family occasions.