Kirsten V. Lindhard, 99, of New York City and Great Barrington, passed away peacefully Feb. 28, 2019, at her home in Great Barrington surrounded by friends, caregivers and her dog, India Ink.
She was born in Brooklyn March 7, 1919, the sixth and last child of Povl Theodor Lindhard and Rigmor (Lytzen) Lindhard. Kirsten led a long and fascinating life. Dance was the passion of her life. She was a ballet dancer, a Broadway performer and a dance teacher. She also was an accomplished author. As a teenager, she performed often at the Hippodrome in many operas. Her training was in the Bournonville style at the Royal Danish Ballet School in Denmark. She returned to New York at the age of 19 shortly before the German occupation of Denmark. Her Broadway performances included “One Touch of Venus,” “Brigadoon,” “Miss Liberty,” “Call Me Madam,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Finian’s Rainbow,” “Rodeo” and “After the Ball.” During World War II, she performed for the troops in the South Pacific with the United Service Organizations in the musical “Oklahoma!”
Kirsten was the author of “The Original Cast” (Ballantine, 1986). She also wrote numerous short stories, and she was working on two book manuscripts before she died: “Oklahoma! A Movable State,” an account of her travels with the USO in the South Pacific; and “Come to the Masquerade,” a historical novel about the Danish resistance during World War II. As a performer and author, Kirsten used her stage name, Kirsten Valbor.
Kirsten is survived by two nephews. She was predeceased by her five siblings: Sven Norman Lindhard of New Bern, North Carolina, Anna Elisabeth Krabbe of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Harriet Inger Friis of Santa Clara, California, Povl Verner Lindhard of San Diego, California, and Elsa Agnete Lindhard of Hackettstown, New Jersey.
In keeping with Kirsten’s wishes, all services are private. Birches-Roy Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be made through birchesroyfuneralservices.com.
