Bessie Kremen started selling luggage in 1969

Bessie Kremen was a fixture at downtown Seattle's Bergman Luggage for 35 years, selling suitcases to celebrities and regular folks.

"She was Mrs. Bergman Luggage," said former co-worker Irene Piper.

Mrs. Kremen died Friday (Sept. 3) at the Caroline Kline Galland Home in Seattle. She was 86 years old.

Mrs. Kremen was born Oct. 15, 1917, at Swedish Hospital to Isaac Jacob and Sophie Katz. She was the oldest of three children.

She grew up in Seattle and graduated from Garfield High School in 1935. Because the family had limited funds, she let her two brothers go to college in her stead.

She married Leo W. Kremen in 1940. When her husband was briefly stationed by the Army in Colorado Springs, she moved with him. When he was sent to Europe for World War II, she returned to her parents in Seattle.

But it wasn't until after her husband's death in 1967 that she began her career in luggage.

In 1969, Mrs. Kremen began working at Bergman Luggage in downtown Seattle, where she would continue to work and rack up the sales into her 80s.

"I think she certainly wanted to support herself and also wanted something to keep herself active and interested, and Bergman Luggage did that in spades," said her son Brian Kremen of Mercer Island.

She sold luggage to pro athlete Magic Johnson, astronaut Neil Armstrong and Robert Joffrey of the Joffrey Ballet.

Another son, Ken Kremen, recalled a time when his mother helped Lauren Bacall and her son with some luggage.

"She stayed after work to help them, not because she was Lauren Bacall but because she needed some assistance," he said. "It was what she did; the time clock wasn't that important."

Her work corresponded well with her love of travel, which took her from Thailand to Israel.

"She was able to talk to people about what would be a good piece of luggage to take all over, from personal experience," said Ken Kremen.

Besides sons Brian and Ken, she is survived by brothers Max Katz of Seattle and Sam Katz of Israel; daughter-in-law Marilyn Kremen of Mercer Island; grandson Brent Kremen and granddaughter Lynne Kremen.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at the Herzl Memorial Park, 16559 Dayton Ave. N., Seattle.

Donations can be made to Hadassah, the Caroline Kline Galland Home, Jewish Family Service, the Boyer Children's Clinic or a charity of choice.

Jennifer Lloyd: 425-745-7809 or jlloyd@seattletimes.com