BIOGRAPHY

Kolt was born in Passaic, New Jersey, USA, on 10 February 1914, as the sixth of eight children born to parents Isadore and Rebecca Greenberg. Her siblings were: Mollie, Edward, Mildred, Sylvia, Max, Helen and Ruth. She grew up in Cleveland (Ohio) with her parents and seven siblings after her family relocated from New Jersey to live near Kolt’s maternal uncle, who resided in Cleveland. During her childhood, she attended Patrick Henry Junior High School located on Durant Avenue in Cleveland. She worked wherever she could to support her family during the Great Depression. For the majority of her career, she was employed at her brother-in-law’s jewelry store on Superior Avenue. She also held jobs in a knitting factory and a bank.

At some point, she married Alfred Kolt. The couple had two children: Jacqueline (born 1939) and Jeffrey (born 1944). As an adult, she enjoyed reading poetry, as well as histories and the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. She had a passion for languages. She was fluent in English and Yiddish, and she also read in French, Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian.

Kolt resided in University Heights with her husband until they moved to Solon around 1990. In Solon, she frequented the Solon Senior Center for 20 years, where she became involved in playing mahjong. It was during her participation in mahjong classes that she met instructor Mary Trient. The two quickly formed a strong friendship. During Trient’s trip to Israel, she offered to deliver a note to the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Kolt’s behalf. Kolt considered having a note placed in the Western Wall as one of the most significant moments in her life.

Her husband passed away in 1996. Two of her sisters lived to be 100 and 101 respectively. When she was around 101 years old, she moved into a senior living community. She was a lifelong member of Hadassah. Having been raised in the Jewish Orthodox tradition, she attributed her longevity to adhering to many Kosher practices. She also attributed her long and fulfilling life to the significant influence of her husband.

Kolt passed away on 25 July 2024, at the age of 110 years, 166 days. She was survived by her son, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Fabrizio Villatoro, and validated by LongeviQuest on 18 February 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Mathilda Kolt, born February 10, 1914” – Geauga County Maple Leaf, 6 October 2016

* “The Weils resident to celebrate 107th birthday” – Cleveland Jewish News, 4 February 2021

* “Celebrating 110 Years of Resilience and Love” – BNN Breaking, 10 February 2024

* “Kolt, Mathilda” – Cleveland Jewish News, 26 July 2024

GALLERY