Edith Flagg, Josh Flagg’s Grandmother Dies: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Edith Flagg, 94, was the spit-fire grandmother of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star Josh Flagg. We would often see her featured on the show and she was always enjoyable to watch as such a strong woman with a clever witt. Edith has passed away. Read on for the facts.


1. Josh Announced the News on Instagram

With the above photo, Josh posted a sad message about the passing of his grandmother saying:

At 6am this morning, Edith Flagg, my grandmother, passed away. She was my best friend. I love you grandma, my darling wonderful woman. You are my hero. I will see you again one day…It may be a while… But I promise we will be together again.

The two were best friends and even lived in the same building for many years. Josh wrote an email about Edith’s death to Pret-a-Porter as well.

Edith died in her penthouse in Century City this morning. She was 94. She died of natural causes. We knew it was coming in the next few days. She had the absolute best care and they made it as painless as possible for her … She was the most eccentric woman I ever knew. All she wanted was to help people and be there for them. The very last thing she said to me in true Edith style was “mama Mia” after I said I know you don’t feel so great right now.


2. She Once Killed a Nazi

On the previous season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, Edith made the shocking statement that she had once killed a Nazi in order to survive. Edith and her second husband Eric were active members of the Dutch Resistance Forces who fought the Nazi regime to saved many Jewish and non-Jewish lives during the war. Edith hid her identity from the Nazis, escaped World War II, lost her husband to the concentration camp Auschwitz and fled to an Israeli kibbutz as a young, single mother to son Michael.


3. Edith Is a True Example of the American Dream

In 2012, Edith’s net worth was reported as $100 million. She is a prime example of the American Dream, building an empire out of nothing. The Hollywood Reporter writes:

With mere dollars in her pocket, Flagg moved to Los Angeles in 1948 and began importing Polyamine — a wrinkle-free form of polyester typically used for parachutes. And with that, Edith Flagg of California — a company that reportedly afforded her a net worth of $100 million in 2012 — was born.

It’s no wonder her grandson Josh Flagg considered her his hero and best friend.


4. Bravo Television Viewers Treasure Edith

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles viewers look forward to watching Edith on the show. She is revered by many and has even been impersonated by comedian Amy Phillips. Check out the skit in the above video clip.


5. Josh Flagg Published a Book About His Grandmother’s Life

Josh Flagg has been so inspired by his grandmother’s life that he even wrote a book about her. Bravo TV writes:

In his book, A Simple Girl: Stories My Grandmother Told Me, Flagg wrote about her remarkable ascent in America and recalled how she had arrived in the States with “$5 in her pocket…and built a multi-million dollar clothing company…She is an inspiration to everyone.”