Widow of famed pianist William Kapell. Despite him being one of the most famous and successful pianists of his day, when he died tragically in an airplane crash on Oct. 29, 1953, age 31, five years after their marriage, she was left destitute with two minor children. An accomplished pianist herself, she applied herself intellectually and went to college, where she majored in anthropology, earning a doctorate and becoming a noted urban anthropologist. She used her own experiences living in poverty on the streets, literally, to become an expert in homelessness.
Musically, she was a student of Sergei Tarnowsky, the teacher of Vladimir Horowitz and after William Kapell's death, helped publish his diaries and issue new recordings of his music.
She taught at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She produced annual studies on hunger for the East Harlem Interfaith Welfare Committee, and founded the Action Research Project on Hunger.
Her research influenced a 1979 landmark ruling that affirmed a right to shelter in New York City. She authored a 1985 report on hunger, The Tyranny of Indifference, which aided litigation in the Yvonne McCain case. She also wrote "Superordinate behavior in urban homes: A video analysis of request-compliance and food control behavior in two black and two white families living in New York City," "The tyranny of indifference and the re-institutionalization of hunger, homelessness and poor health: A study of the causes and conditions of the food emergencies in 1708 households with children in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx in 1986," "The tyranny of indifference: A study of hunger, homelessness, poor health and family dismemberment in 818 New York City households with children in 1988-89," "Out of sight! Out of mind: Or, how New York City and New York State tried to abandon the City's homeless families in 1993," "No room at the inn: Or how New York abandoned homeless families to public places," "There's no place like home: Anthropological perspectives on housing and homelessness in the United States" and "From bad to worse at the Emergency Assistance Unit: How New York City tried to stop sheltering homeless families in 1996."
She also served as an expert witness for the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless. In 1990 she was honored by The Community Service Society. Her obituary was included in "The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands: And 144 Other Fascinating People who Died this Year,' a 2012 compilation of notable New York Times obituaries.
After William Kapell's death, she married Gaston T. de Havenon.
Musically, she was a student of Sergei Tarnowsky, the teacher of Vladimir Horowitz and after William Kapell's death, helped publish his diaries and issue new recordings of his music.
She taught at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She produced annual studies on hunger for the East Harlem Interfaith Welfare Committee, and founded the Action Research Project on Hunger.
Her research influenced a 1979 landmark ruling that affirmed a right to shelter in New York City. She authored a 1985 report on hunger, The Tyranny of Indifference, which aided litigation in the Yvonne McCain case. She also wrote "Superordinate behavior in urban homes: A video analysis of request-compliance and food control behavior in two black and two white families living in New York City," "The tyranny of indifference and the re-institutionalization of hunger, homelessness and poor health: A study of the causes and conditions of the food emergencies in 1708 households with children in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx in 1986," "The tyranny of indifference: A study of hunger, homelessness, poor health and family dismemberment in 818 New York City households with children in 1988-89," "Out of sight! Out of mind: Or, how New York City and New York State tried to abandon the City's homeless families in 1993," "No room at the inn: Or how New York abandoned homeless families to public places," "There's no place like home: Anthropological perspectives on housing and homelessness in the United States" and "From bad to worse at the Emergency Assistance Unit: How New York City tried to stop sheltering homeless families in 1996."
She also served as an expert witness for the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless. In 1990 she was honored by The Community Service Society. Her obituary was included in "The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands: And 144 Other Fascinating People who Died this Year,' a 2012 compilation of notable New York Times obituaries.
After William Kapell's death, she married Gaston T. de Havenon.
Widow of famed pianist William Kapell. Despite him being one of the most famous and successful pianists of his day, when he died tragically in an airplane crash on Oct. 29, 1953, age 31, five years after their marriage, she was left destitute with two minor children. An accomplished pianist herself, she applied herself intellectually and went to college, where she majored in anthropology, earning a doctorate and becoming a noted urban anthropologist. She used her own experiences living in poverty on the streets, literally, to become an expert in homelessness.
Musically, she was a student of Sergei Tarnowsky, the teacher of Vladimir Horowitz and after William Kapell's death, helped publish his diaries and issue new recordings of his music.
She taught at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She produced annual studies on hunger for the East Harlem Interfaith Welfare Committee, and founded the Action Research Project on Hunger.
Her research influenced a 1979 landmark ruling that affirmed a right to shelter in New York City. She authored a 1985 report on hunger, The Tyranny of Indifference, which aided litigation in the Yvonne McCain case. She also wrote "Superordinate behavior in urban homes: A video analysis of request-compliance and food control behavior in two black and two white families living in New York City," "The tyranny of indifference and the re-institutionalization of hunger, homelessness and poor health: A study of the causes and conditions of the food emergencies in 1708 households with children in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx in 1986," "The tyranny of indifference: A study of hunger, homelessness, poor health and family dismemberment in 818 New York City households with children in 1988-89," "Out of sight! Out of mind: Or, how New York City and New York State tried to abandon the City's homeless families in 1993," "No room at the inn: Or how New York abandoned homeless families to public places," "There's no place like home: Anthropological perspectives on housing and homelessness in the United States" and "From bad to worse at the Emergency Assistance Unit: How New York City tried to stop sheltering homeless families in 1996."
She also served as an expert witness for the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless. In 1990 she was honored by The Community Service Society. Her obituary was included in "The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands: And 144 Other Fascinating People who Died this Year,' a 2012 compilation of notable New York Times obituaries.
After William Kapell's death, she married Gaston T. de Havenon.
Musically, she was a student of Sergei Tarnowsky, the teacher of Vladimir Horowitz and after William Kapell's death, helped publish his diaries and issue new recordings of his music.
She taught at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She produced annual studies on hunger for the East Harlem Interfaith Welfare Committee, and founded the Action Research Project on Hunger.
Her research influenced a 1979 landmark ruling that affirmed a right to shelter in New York City. She authored a 1985 report on hunger, The Tyranny of Indifference, which aided litigation in the Yvonne McCain case. She also wrote "Superordinate behavior in urban homes: A video analysis of request-compliance and food control behavior in two black and two white families living in New York City," "The tyranny of indifference and the re-institutionalization of hunger, homelessness and poor health: A study of the causes and conditions of the food emergencies in 1708 households with children in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx in 1986," "The tyranny of indifference: A study of hunger, homelessness, poor health and family dismemberment in 818 New York City households with children in 1988-89," "Out of sight! Out of mind: Or, how New York City and New York State tried to abandon the City's homeless families in 1993," "No room at the inn: Or how New York abandoned homeless families to public places," "There's no place like home: Anthropological perspectives on housing and homelessness in the United States" and "From bad to worse at the Emergency Assistance Unit: How New York City tried to stop sheltering homeless families in 1996."
She also served as an expert witness for the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless. In 1990 she was honored by The Community Service Society. Her obituary was included in "The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands: And 144 Other Fascinating People who Died this Year,' a 2012 compilation of notable New York Times obituaries.
After William Kapell's death, she married Gaston T. de Havenon.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
