LAURA LORETTA RICHMAN

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LAURA LORETTA RICHMAN

Laura Richman (née Newhouse) was born on May 2, 1932, and after a rich life, passed away on December 10 at Grace Hospital, the same place that she was born to her loving parents, Alex and Annie Newhouse. Laura was the oldest of 4 children and is survived by her brother Jack Newhouse (wife Deannie) and sister Myrna Reinhorn (predeceased by husband Leonard). She was predeceased by her sister Tyra Rauch (predeceased by husband Peter Rauch). Laura is survived by her children: Joy Richman (predeceased by husband Euan Taylor), Sally Slater and her husband Michael Slater, Rebecca Richman and her husband Dov Lazar, as well as 4 grandchildren: Matthew Slater, Samara Slater, Teagan Richman-Taylor and Phoebe Richman-Taylor.

Laura grew up on Jessie Avenue in a tiny house, within walking distance of her father’s corner store on Corydon Avenue and Kelvin High School. When Laura turned 19, she took a solo trip to New York that established herself as an independent, modern woman of the 1950’s. When she returned, Laura trained and worked as an x-ray technician at the historic Mount Carmel clinic which provides services to families to this day. Laura married Harold in 1953 and kept working for 2 years up to the birth of Joy. Laura started volunteering for Jewish causes while she was a young mother. In 1958 she joined the Golda Meir Chapter of the Hadassah WIZO where she became president. Laura and Harold chose to send their children to the IL Peretz folk Shul, where Harold had attended. From those Yiddish days at the Perez school, Laura solidified her desire to help the Jewish Community thrive in many dimensions. She co-chaired the Women’s division of the Combined Jewish Appeal in 1978-1979 with her dear friend Evelyn Pearlman. Laura became president of the Winnipeg chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) in 1988, the same year that the Gwen Secter Centre for Creative Living opened. Laura and Harold were founding members of the Gwen Sector centre which continues to provide vital senior services. The culmination of Laura’s endeavors came in 2004, when she was awarded the Max and Molly Shore Tzedakah award for her outstanding charitable work in the Winnipeg Jewish community.

Laura packed in many other passions into her adult life. She was a regular player in a Tuesday night bridge club with the same group of women that lasted for 6 decades. Laura was also an excellent golfer and scored an impressive 6 holes in one! Laura and Harold built equally fruitful life in Sun city West Arizona. It was during those winters, that Laura produced dozens of colourful quilts that adorn the houses of her children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

Laura was an inspiration for her daughters, and they picked up her qualities of grit, lifelong pursuit of joy, supporting family and maintaining deep friendships. Laura was fiercely independent until close to the end. We are grateful to the care givers that looked after Laura in her condo for the last 2 years. As daughters Joy, Sally and Rebecca take comfort in knowing that Laura lived to see all her girls happy and settled in their lives.

Donations in Laura’s name can be made to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba – Harold and Laura Richman Fund or to the Mount Carmel Clinic.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 21, 2024