Christa Montano, born Dec 24th, 1928, died peacefully in her sleep early on Wednesday morning, April 4th, 2024, at Camp Hill Ghent in Chatham NY.

Born in Berlin Germany, Christa spent her years as a young adult seeking light and beauty through the studies of classical arts and alternative thinkers arising out of the darkness of war. Christa understood art as freedom. Influenced by the work of dance contemporaries Rudolf von Laban and Mary Wigman, Christa pursued a formal training in Modern Dance, and a resulting aspiration for individual expression and freedom

of thought. Between the bombings crumbling the city around her, she would meet with friends in backroom gatherings and readings at a local bookstore, where she was introduced to the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner and the spiritual movement of Anthroposophy, solidifying her commitment to the Christian Community and Waldorf education.

At age 19, after completing her studies as a chemistry lab technician and working at the Werther's candy factory, she saved enough money to purchase a vespa which she rode through the Southern European continent, over the Alps to Italy and back, collecting stories and experiences which she loved to share with her children and grandchildren.

In 1954, she traveled to America to continue her formal dance training with Martha Graham at the Center for Contemporary Dance in New York City. She moved to Connecticut in the early 60's, teaching dance and working at a cancer research center. Through friends, she was introduced to Donald Montano, whom she married in 1963. Christa and Don had four children between 1964 and 1967 during which time she continued to teach and perform dance as part of vibrant and collaborative arts community in Hartford.

Christa's early studies in Waldorf education led her to Chestnut Ridge NY, where she enrolled her children in school, and worked within the Waldorf community, teaching dance and later handwork arts as a grade school handwork teacher at the Green Meadow Waldorf School. She moved to Great Barrington in 1996 to be closer to her children. She was employed as a handwork arts teacher at the Egremont Schoolhouse and New

Marlborough Central Schools, and facilitated free handwork classes in several after school programs from Hudson NY to Pittsfield MA and in her own studio in Great Barrington. As a dancer, she was a founding faculty member at her daughter's creative arts center, Berkshire Pulse in Housatonic, where she continued to dance well into her late 80s.

Christa dedicated her life to inspiring young people to look for beauty and freedom in the arts, to never fear the unknown, imparting her wisdom and her positivity to all around her. She was a dedicated member of the congregation at the Christian Community Church in Hillsdale NY, and the surrounding Anthroposophical community, attending study groups, always in the pursuit of learning about the world around and within her.

Christa leaves behind brothers Manfred and Reinhard Osterwald and their children and grandchildren in Germany, her brother Niels Sundermeyer and family in California, her four children, Anna-Christine Stanton, Cardinale Montano, her twins Bettina and Roman Montano, her 8 grandchildren Dorian, Tilo, Julian, Avia, Milena, Roman, Antonius and Hunter, and three Great Grandchildren, Charlotte, Mia and Xena.

She is pre-deceased by her parents Charlotte Osterwald and Wilhelm Sundermeyer, her brothers Michael Sundermeyer, and Dieter Sundermeyer, and her husband, Donald Montano, from whom she was separated.

Funeral Services will be held for family and members of the congregation at the Christian Community Church in Hillsdale NY on Sunday, 4/7 at 12:30pm. A celebration of Life memorial open to Christa's community of friends will be held in the same location on Saturday, 4/13, at 11am. Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.