Irma H. Laufer Katz died on November 10, 2026 at age 91.
Born January 24, 1935 in Bronx, NY, daughter of immigrants from Poland, Stephen and Ann Laufer. Irma was one of three daughters, her older sister Ruth, and her twin sister, Wilma. Irma and family moved to Forest Hills, NY when she was a toddler. She attended Forest Hills High School and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Queens College and her Master of Library Science from the Carnegie Institute of Technology.
In 1955 she met Jack Katz at summer camp where they were counselors. They got married one year later after they both graduated college and spent 69 years together until his death in 2025. Irma and Jack had two children, Mark and Miriam.
Irma was a natural born teacher. She loved children and enjoyed reading to her students, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Irma especially loved her 4th grade class in Liverpool, NY. She was the epitome of a librarian. She knew every children’s and YA book, and she read constantly—history, literature, and biographies. Her favorite book of all time was E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, which she read out loud to her students, children, and grandchildren. She is even recorded reading Charlotte’s Web, for her great-grandchildren. Irma was not usually outwardly emotional, but she never could get through the last chapter without crying.
Irma’s natural organizational skills made her the perfect partner for Jack, who had no organizational skills whatsoever. She was the nerve center of Jack’s professional endeavors. Her partnership did not stop at personal secretary, bookkeeper, and travel agent. She took courses to learn how to index professional texts, and she was in charge of preparing the word index and author index for each of the first four editions of the Handbook of Clinical Audiology. Since the indexes were prepared by hand, without the benefit of a computer, Irma had to read and comprehend each chapter several times. Irma also was Jack’s confidante and consigliere, and when necessary, his fierce protector. When she wasn’t lending her skills and advice to Jack, she was using them to help her children and grandchildren. She made the trains run on time, and she did not fall asleep until every airplane had landed.
Irma was the consummate host for students, colleagues, and family. Her brisket was legendary, her baklava was delicious, and her oatmeal carmelites were unforgettable. She was a world traveler, well-read, and an unapologetic liberal. She had opinions, and
she shared them.
Irma is survived by her beloved twin, Wilma; Mark and his wife, Jill; and Miriam and her husband, Eric. Irma and Jack never gave heed to the notion of “in-law,” so to Irma, all four were simply her children. Irma will also be missed by her grandchildren: Erin and her Tom; Hanna and her Alex; Rachel and her Alex; and Elaina, whom she would only call Lainie. Her great-grandchildren Evie and Theo will carry forward their memories of her, and they are already learning her love of books. Irma is also survived by loving nieces and a nephew, and their children, and by Jack’s many students and colleagues.
Instead of flowers, Jack’s family requests family and friends to consider donations in her memory to the Jewish Community Relations Bureau, https://jcrbajc.org/donate/, and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, https://www.hbha.edu/.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., November 11, 2026 at the Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64131. Burial to follow at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.louismemorialchapel.com (Arrangements entrusted to The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211).
Obituary published by Louis Memorial Chapel.
