Shelter Island obituaries: Green, Farnan

Rosine Kauffmann Green
Rosine Green died on August 24, 2016. She was 90.

She and her husband, Dr. Howard Green, had a second home on North Ferry Road from 1960 to 2014, which is currently owned by their niece.

Rosine was born on November 27, 1927 to Jeanne Tardivel and Gaston Kauffmann. She grew up in Paris and was enrolled in a private school for girls when the German occupation descended on France. Rosine was forced to leave school and was tutored at home while her father escaped and remained in hiding until 1944. During the liberation of Paris in August 1944, she was a trained Red Cross volunteer taking care of casualties at the barricades and in the hospital.

After the war, Rosine finished her education and in 1948 came to the United States to Chicago. There she quickly became engaged in the intellectual ferment surrounding the University of Chicago, home to a large number of scientists who had emigrated from Europe. Eventually, at a dinner party she met a brilliant young doctor doing research at the university.

Rosine and Howard Green were married in 1951 and this partnership lasted for 65 years until Howard’s death last year.
Howard’s scientific prowess brought them to Boston in 1970 where he eventually became chairman of the Cell Biology Department at the Harvard Medical School. At the same time, Rosine established Rosine Green Associates, a highly successful art restoration and conservation business.

They became widely known for restoring antiques, especially Japanese and Chinese lacquer, oil paintings and art on paper. They did work for the White House and national museums, and were voted in 1999 as the best at antique restoration by “Best of Boston.” Rosine was also a member of the Chilton Club.

Rosine and Howard together led exceptionally exciting and productive lives and developed a large number of devoted friends, their family recalled. They were always helpful and generous to all they knew, especially to the students who came through Howard’s laboratory.

Through Rosine’s tireless efforts, this generosity led to establishing the Howard Green Center for Children’s Skin and Research at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston in 2016. Also, this past year, even in failing health, she founded the Howard and Rosine Kauffmann Green Skin and Tissue Center at the burn unit in the Sheba National Medical Center in Israel.

Rosine is survived by her niece, Ingrid Fagen, her nephew, David Green, nieces Catherine Kauffmann and Claudine Agostini, as well as an extended family in Australia and France.

Jeanne J. Farnan
Jeanne J. Farnan died on August 28, 2016 at Stony Brook University Hospital.

A Mass celebrating was said on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Isle Church. Interment will be in Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery.

A full obituary will appear in a future edition of the Reporter.