David Anatole, 98
EGREMONT â€' David Anatole, 98, of Greenwich, Conn., formerly of Egremont, died Sunday, April 20, 2008, in Greenwich after a short illness.
Born in Kiev, Russia, on Oct. 14, 1909, he left school at the age of 12 to support his mother and sisters. He lived in China as a young man and came to the United States at age 26. He also had resided in Lawrence, N.Y.
Mr. Anatole was employed in the textile business for many years. The experiences of his youth are a family legend. Known as "Tolia" by other old China hands, he traveled by caravan to Mongolia to buy wool for British colonials in China and was often the first Caucasian that the natives had seen. He encountered marriage solicitations from Asian royalty, assisted cavalry escorts fighting bandits in the Gobi Desert and was even kidnapped.
He arrived in America with only broken English and a letter of introduction and, over the succeeding four decades, built a career in textile imports. He traveled throughout Europe, Asia, and South America as president of the textile division of a U.S. company before establishing his own company, Haroco Inc., which imported wool in New York City. He retired many years ago.
Mr. Anatole was blessed with a lifelong passion for horseback riding, jumping and the hunt that extended from
childhood into his early 90s. His beloved horses, from Adventurer to Captain George, all too often gave his wife competition for weekend quality time. At age 90, he wrote his memoirs, "Ma Chu," which will remain a legacy to his family and future generations.
His wife of 66 years, Lucille "Babs" Anatole, died Sept. 24, 2006.
He leaves a daughter, Amy Schwab and her husband, James; a son, Mark Anatole and his wife, Jodi, and four grandchildren, Kate and Joanna Schwab and Emily and Carter Anatole.
FUNERAL NOTICE â€' The family of David Anatole invites everyone to join them for a graveside service to be conducted at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 27, at Hillside Cemetery in North Egremont, by Rabbi David Ross.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to the Berkshire Humane Society through Finnerty and Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com
Poppy, as Babs always reminded the family, "Happy Times."