Liese Bronfenbrenner

Liese Bronfenbrenner, a prolific fiber artist, community leader, and the steady spirit behind one of the 20th century's most influential academic legacies, died peacefully in Ithaca, New York, on February 9, 2026. She was 105 years old.

Born Liese Price in Bonn, Germany, on September 4, 1920, she was the daughter of Shakespearean scholar Hereward Thimbleby Price and Elisabeth (Prym) Price. In 1930, her family immigrated to Ann Arbor, Michigan. While studying sociology at the University of Michigan in 1941, Liese met doctoral candidate Urie Bronfenbrenner. Their 63-year partnership would profoundly shape the field of developmental psychology.

The couple married in 1942 as Urie joined the U.S. Army. A cherished family story recalls a bureaucratic typo on their military housing paperwork: instead of "permission to live off-base," they were officially granted "permission to LOVE off-base." They spent the war years doing just that in Tennessee, D.C., and Oklahoma, welcoming their eldest daughters, Beth and Ann, before moving to Ithaca in 1948.

Settling in Forest Home overlooking Beebe Lake, the family grew to include Mary, Michael, Kate, and Steven. Liese's hospitality was legendary; her living room became a global crossroads for scholars and cultural icons, including Fred Rogers and Peter, Paul and Mary.

More than a supportive spouse, Liese was Urie's sounding board and critic. She was present at the birth of the Head Start program, joining Urie at the White House to meet with President Lyndon B. Johnson. Following Urie's death in 2005, she remained a steadfast supporter of Cornell's Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research.

An avid traveler, Liese managed the logistics of sabbaticals in Switzerland, Israel, Japan, and the Soviet Union, including two full trips around the globe. Whether in a Moscow hotel or camping in Colorado, she fiercely guarded family time, ensuring the family dined together regardless of the setting. Some of the most cherished family time include holiday traditions carried over from her German childhood.

An award-winning fiber artist, Liese produced thousands of tapestries and fabric sculptures. She shared this passion by teaching textile arts from Ithaca to Alaska and New Zealand. She also authored From Free Hollow to Forest Home, a history of Forest Home. Her creativity was rivaled only by her civic devotion; she served as a Girl Scout leader for 18 years and was a member and officer of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee and the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, Well into her 90s, she coordinated voter registration at Kendal at Ithaca, famously boarding buses with fellow residents in their 90s to ensure every voice reached the ballot box.

Liese was predeceased by her husband, Urie, and siblings Arnold and Antje Price. She is survived by her children: Beth, Ann, Mary, Michael, Kate, and Steven, 13 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. From the streets of Tokyo to the shores of Beebe Lake, Liese wove a life of extraordinary art, service, and family devotion.

Memorial details are forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.