1928-1948

Philip and Lena Siegel, date unknown

Ida, Philip, Lena and David, circa 1924

Mildred's High School Graduation Portrait

Mildred Siegel was born on January 20, 1928. She was the third child of Philip Siegel and Lena Berman, Russian immigrants from Latvia. Her sister, Ida, was born in 1920, and her brother David was born in 1923.

On the 1920 census, Lena and Philip Siegel were listed as residents of 97 Clinton Street in Manhattan, and had a son named Harold, then two years old. Neither Ida nor Mildred said they knew of him. It is assumed that he died as a small child.

By the 1930 census, the family was living at 1566 Hoe Avenue in the Bronx, in a walkup. Philip was a tailor in a coat factory. Mildred claimed that David used her as a tackle dummy for football practice, and that Ida and David tried to drown her in the bathtub when she was little. She had carrot red hair and was apparently a feisty child.

After graduating from high school, Mildred attended secretarial school and took jobs doing secretarial work. Her mother became ill and Mildred helped take care of the family. Her mother died on 14th of December, 1948 after a battle with cancer.