Obituary of Inna Rostfeld Lorents

Inna Rostfeld Lorents July 28, 1914 - May 23, 2011 Danielson - Inna Rostfeld Lorents, 96, born in Narva Jõesuu, Estonia on July 28, 1914, died on May 23 at Regency Heights of Danielson, CT. Her earliest memory was watching the Russian Revolution take place in the street below her window, living in St. Petersburg as her mother became a pediatrician and her father an agricultural economist. Returning to Estonia, her parents were involved in the liberation of Estonia from Russian/Soviet rule in 1918. Her university education began in 1932, studying law and math at Tartu University. In 1936, she became the first woman pilot in Estonia, flying open-cockpit planes when "flying by the seat of your pants" actually meant something. She was afraid while flying, but it was the only place she felt free. She transferred to the Warsaw Polytechnic University in Poland, studying mechanical engineering. She learned to speak her fourth (or fifth?) language, Polish, by studying her calculus textbook. Her studies were interrupted by the start of World War Two. During the war, the front between the Soviet and Nazi armies passed back and forth over Estonia. In 1944, the Soviets returned to stay. Inna's father, an Estonian government official, decided the family's women should flee the Soviet advance, so they ended up in displaced persons camps in Germany for five years. Her father and brother were sent to the Siberian gulag, while her younger brother died fighting against the Soviets. During that time she survived hunger, cold and the Allied firebombing of Dresden, while finally earning her engineering degree at a technical university in Braunschweig. In 1949, she was allowed to enter the USA, where she soon married John Lorents, a merchant marine and carpenter, became a founding member of the Society of Women Engineers, had a daughter, Virge Lorents and a son, Jaan Lorents. She worked for design and engineering firms throughout the New York City region until she retired at 70. She enjoyed her freedom and independence, driving alone around the USA six times, visiting family, friends and her favorite state, Montana. A proud life-long member of the Eesti Naisüliõpilas Selts, a sorority for Estonian women college graduates, her message was revolution, war, hunger, cold, dislocation, fear - not one of these is an excuse not to get an education. When her grandson, Franco Governale was born, she settled down in the family summer home in East Killingly, CT, where she was able to stay until 2007. She leaves daughter Virge Lorents, her husband, Richard Governale and son, Franco. Also her son, Jaan Lorents and wife, Linda, of North Carolina. Her beloved niece, Inna-Leena Zafiris, and children, Christina and Gregory, will miss her. So will the Winkels of the clan, who are scattered from Malaysia, Indonesia and New Mexico to New Jersey. She passes the matriarch's mantel to her cousin, Juta Säkk Helm of Buffalo, NY. The funeral will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the charity of one's choice.