1917
Harry
2015
Harry Joseph Traugott
March 13, 1917 — April 16, 2015
Harry Joseph Traugott
passed away on Thursday, April 16 at age 98. He was known for his volunteer activities and involved support of social causes, but also loved the woods and the deer herd viewed through the expansive windows of his Indianapolis home. Close friends also knew his dry wit and wry sense of humor.
His interest in philanthropy and volunteer activities began at the age of 16 in 1933, during the membership drive for the Jewish Welfare Fund. He began making calls in person and his first solicitation resulted in a $50 donation from a non Jewish business a large sum in the middle of the Great Depression. Harry achieved his Eagle Scout rank as a member of Troop 65 sponsored by the Kirshbaum Center, and became the troop's scoutmaster. Later he served as an assistant scoutmaster and cubmaster, devoting more than fifty years of volunteer service to the scouts. He received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest volunteer acknowledgment, and the Shofar Award given to outstanding Jewish scouts. He lost interest in scouting when his arguments supporting sensitivity to multiple religious traditions were spurned. For more than twenty years he actively supported immigrant resettlement into the Indianapolis community by teaching English to Russian Jews, Eastern Europeans, and new residents from Latin America. He also developed an emergency loan program to assist immigrant families in dire need.
Harry volunteered as a docent at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, also for more than twenty years, and was particularly pleased teaching school children about the importance of art and culture. His passionate belief in the power of education led him to serve on the executive committee of the Washington Township Schools planning committee. He was a past board member of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and the IHC Foundation. The Jewish Family and Children's Services presented him with the Ivan Chalfie Award for his commitment to education, human services, and culture. The Jewish Federation of Greater Indiana honored him with the Golden Giver award. Traugott attended the University of Michigan after graduating from Shortridge High School in 1934. During WWII the U.S. Army Air Corps stationed him in Algeria and Italy and assigned him to the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces command. Between 1942 and 1945 he served as staff sergeant to playwright Thornton Wilder planning invasion and bombing runs. After the war Traugott rejoined his father in The Fair Store, a familyrun department store in downtown Indianapolis that closed in 1949. He retired as president of the Fair Finance Company in 1981 and devoted the rest of his life to volunteer service.
As a fearless traveler he thrived on family road trips, including an adventurous 1963 camping trek through the American Southwest, a 1964 drive to San Miguel Allende, Mexico, and another to Oaxaca, Mexico in 1966. Numerous more conventional trips followed to France, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Peru, and the Yucatan.
Harry Traugott was the son of Leo Traugott and Bess Joseph. He is survived by his artist wife Leah Schneider Traugott of 68 years of marriage; son, Joseph Traugott and wife Laurel Wallace, daughter; and granddaughters, Carlin and Lauren Traugott Campbell.
His nieces include Joan Cassell Miller and husband Nathan Miller, Barbara Cassell Altman and husband Sonny Altman.
Funeral arrangements for Harry Traugott will be on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 N. Meridian Street. at 2:00 PM. with burial to Follow at IHC South Cemetery Donations in his honor may be made to Indianapolis Museum of Art or to IHC.
Friends may leave a message of condolence by visiting www.arnmortuary.com
passed away on Thursday, April 16 at age 98. He was known for his volunteer activities and involved support of social causes, but also loved the woods and the deer herd viewed through the expansive windows of his Indianapolis home. Close friends also knew his dry wit and wry sense of humor.
His interest in philanthropy and volunteer activities began at the age of 16 in 1933, during the membership drive for the Jewish Welfare Fund. He began making calls in person and his first solicitation resulted in a $50 donation from a non Jewish business a large sum in the middle of the Great Depression. Harry achieved his Eagle Scout rank as a member of Troop 65 sponsored by the Kirshbaum Center, and became the troop's scoutmaster. Later he served as an assistant scoutmaster and cubmaster, devoting more than fifty years of volunteer service to the scouts. He received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest volunteer acknowledgment, and the Shofar Award given to outstanding Jewish scouts. He lost interest in scouting when his arguments supporting sensitivity to multiple religious traditions were spurned. For more than twenty years he actively supported immigrant resettlement into the Indianapolis community by teaching English to Russian Jews, Eastern Europeans, and new residents from Latin America. He also developed an emergency loan program to assist immigrant families in dire need.
Harry volunteered as a docent at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, also for more than twenty years, and was particularly pleased teaching school children about the importance of art and culture. His passionate belief in the power of education led him to serve on the executive committee of the Washington Township Schools planning committee. He was a past board member of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and the IHC Foundation. The Jewish Family and Children's Services presented him with the Ivan Chalfie Award for his commitment to education, human services, and culture. The Jewish Federation of Greater Indiana honored him with the Golden Giver award. Traugott attended the University of Michigan after graduating from Shortridge High School in 1934. During WWII the U.S. Army Air Corps stationed him in Algeria and Italy and assigned him to the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces command. Between 1942 and 1945 he served as staff sergeant to playwright Thornton Wilder planning invasion and bombing runs. After the war Traugott rejoined his father in The Fair Store, a familyrun department store in downtown Indianapolis that closed in 1949. He retired as president of the Fair Finance Company in 1981 and devoted the rest of his life to volunteer service.
As a fearless traveler he thrived on family road trips, including an adventurous 1963 camping trek through the American Southwest, a 1964 drive to San Miguel Allende, Mexico, and another to Oaxaca, Mexico in 1966. Numerous more conventional trips followed to France, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Peru, and the Yucatan.
Harry Traugott was the son of Leo Traugott and Bess Joseph. He is survived by his artist wife Leah Schneider Traugott of 68 years of marriage; son, Joseph Traugott and wife Laurel Wallace, daughter; and granddaughters, Carlin and Lauren Traugott Campbell.
His nieces include Joan Cassell Miller and husband Nathan Miller, Barbara Cassell Altman and husband Sonny Altman.
Funeral arrangements for Harry Traugott will be on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 N. Meridian Street. at 2:00 PM. with burial to Follow at IHC South Cemetery Donations in his honor may be made to Indianapolis Museum of Art or to IHC.
Friends may leave a message of condolence by visiting www.arnmortuary.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Harry Joseph Traugott, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Visits: 2
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors