My bathroom wall displays the famous Kissing the War Goodbye photograph taken in Times Square, New York on August 14, 1945. I’ve always cherished this picture because of the story behind it. The image captures a navy sailor spontaneously embracing an unknown nurse for a celebratory kiss after returning home from WWII.
Both faces are somewhat obscured in the picture and the Life magazine photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt, didn’t get their names at the time it was taken. Although Edith Shain isn’t the only woman claiming to be the nurse, she was featured as the most probable nurse after Eisenstaedt reunited with her in 1979 to see if he could recognize her as the woman he had photographed in 1945.
Shain died of cancer June 20th, 2010 at the age of 91. She was in her Los Angeles home at the time. She was born in Manhattan, NY on July 29, 1918. She grew up in Tarrytown, NY. She worked as a nurse before receiving a degree in education from New York University. Shain moved to Los Angeles in the 50s where she was a public school kindergarten teacher for 30 years. She retired in the 80s when she decided to produce a talk show discussing various community issues.
Shain is survived by her three sons, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She will be forever remembered through the photograph taken at such a monumental, notable moment in history.
Sorry to learn another person from that era has left us. The Greatest Generation, for sure.
ReplyDeleteA sweet and pure moment in time, to cherish for ever. Let us never forget the sacrifice!
I wonder if any of these sailors are her great grandchildren?
Thank-you for writing this in your blog.