August 28, 2013

Lynn Fine

Lynn Fine was born Lynn Walpy and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her family descended from Lithuanian Jews who emigrated to South Africa in the early twentieth century, including a grandfather named Julius Krueger and grandparents from towns in Lithuania who arrived between 1903 and 1925. She attended a private school called Red Hill and later earned a bachelor's degree in legal theory and psychology. Because of her family's political associations under the apartheid regime, she was for a time barred from attending university, a period she recalls with the fearlessness of youth even as her parents worried for her safety.

Soon after Lynn married her husband, Stanley, the couple chose to leave South Africa, following many young Jewish families and seeking adventure in a new country. They first settled in Los Angeles, where they enjoyed an exciting social life connected to the music, film, and fashion worlds. When Stanley sold half of his company, they moved to Dallas to build a future, and they have now lived there for more than 20 years. The transition to Dallas was difficult at first, but it led Lynn to integrate broadly into the American community, and today her family enjoys a wide circle of both American and South African friends.

In South Africa, Lynn ran a public relations company. In Dallas she launched several ventures of her own, selling African art, importing European clothing, and creating a jewelry line, and for the past 10 years she has served as creative director at a company called Craft, overseeing product development, design, and marketing. Though not religiously observant, Lynn feels strongly tied to her Jewish heritage and keeps cherished traditions alive, hosting a large gathering for the breaking of the fast and seeking out South African foods like boerewors and chocolate. She became an American citizen, values her right to vote, and remains close to family in South Africa, Paris, and across the United States. She speaks with deep gratitude for the support the Dallas community gave her during an illness.

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