Alice Staller
Volunteer of the Month - April

Why Volunteer of the Month?

Alice Staller has been a faithful Cinnabar volunteer for more years than either Alice or Elly can remember! (At least 15 years, we know that much.) She has helped with concessions, house management, New Year’s Eve parties…you name it, Alice has done it. And, best of all, she has consistently done so with grace, humor, intelligence and love. Thank you, dear Alice!!!

About Alice

Alice Staller was born and raised in Vienna, Austria, the only child of her parents. She attended public elementary school, private high school and the first year of Handelsakademie (Academy of Commerce.) Her education, however, was interrupted by Hitler's occupation of Austria.

After Hitler's arrival, she was dismissed from school and her family had to vacate their apartment. “My mother and I went to live with her sister. My father had a passport without the red “J” stamped into it, so he got a visa for Switzerland. He was sent there along with some of our possessions, which were put into storage there.”

Alice’s mother got a job as a housekeeper in England and had to leave Alice with her sister as her mother’s new employers would not wait any longer for her to arrive in London. So, her mother left Alice with the aunt after receiving assurance from someone at the Jewish Agency in Vienna that she would be put on the next Kindertransport, and so it was. (The Kinderstransport was a system by which, during a brief period, Jewish children were transported out of Nazi occupied countries to live in foster homes in other countries.)

“Father went to Paris to do some work as a journalist, was picked up and interned as an enemy alien and never got out of France. He ended up in two French concentration camps.” When the war broke out, no one could pay for storage fees, and all their possessions were, so they were told, sent back to Vienna to be auctioned. “End of that - no evidence (of the auction.)

“Mother and I survived in London, separately for years, then together after she had severe surgery. I was then working as a bookkeeper. Father survived the camps and we got permission for him to visit on compassionate grounds because of mother’s surgery. When we met that skeleton of a man, we began applications to permit him to stay so that we could all leave together for the USA. No luck. The Brits who saved our lives deported him back to Vienna. He lived there several weeks, then had a heart attack and died. Mother and I decided to immigrate to America and begin life anew. I wish I could understand why we can't all get along - no progress yet - keep working at it.”

While working as a secretary and bookkeeper, Alice raised three children. “Leslie Anne is currently in South Africa doing her thing. Karen lives in San Francisco (married to an Aussie) and generously gave me four gorgeous grandchildren, and Richard lives in Chico, waiting for the perfect woman for him!

Alice and Cinnabar

“I have always loved theater. I was born in a city renowned for theatre, opera, cabaret, etc. Then I lived in London, NYC and San Francisco! Wow! So to find theater on my own doorstep, so to speak, who can resist this? To the end of my life I will recall Marvin in ‘Man of La Mancha.' I can still hear him sing!

“I bring my grandchildren to the kids’ performances whenever possible - they live in the city - otherwise they would participate. From my involvement with Cinnabar, I experience the joy of theatre and community. And I love the people!”