Lorraine Newman

MADISON - Lorraine Newman, age 82, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013 at the Capitol Lakes Retirement Center. She was born Jan. 31, 1930, in Chicago, the daughter of Chaim and Sarah (Fine) Greenband. As a child, Lorraine was an actress in Chicago's Yiddish Theater. English was the second language she learned, but words became her specialty. She was a brilliant Scrabble player and avid crossword puzzle player, and for many decades, she carried on correspondences with family members and friends across the globe, including a pen pal in Japan whom she had never met. Living with her family in the back storerooms of the small, neighborhood stores her parents ran on Chicago's West side, Lorraine was valedictorian of her Roosevelt High School graduation class. Although her father questioned a girl's need to attend college, she pursued her studies and received a bachelor's degree from Roosevelt University, and later, a master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University, both in Chicago. Lorraine was a teacher in the Chicago public school system for about 30 years, mainly at Joyce Kilmer elementary school and at Philip Rogers elementary, where she taught special education students, forging fr...[more]

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dships with the families of many of the children in her classes. She was known for warmth and smile, forming longtime friendships with people around the country and maintaining treasured family relationships around the world, including England, Israel, and most of all, with her large family in Canada. Lorraine was married to Jules Newman on April 11, 1956, and they lived in Rogers Park for nearly four decades where they raised their children, Judy and Joel, and Lorraine was active in organizations such as ORT and Hadassah. When Lorraine and Jules were both retired, in 1995, they moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. and lived there for 10 years before moving to the Madison area. Preceded in death by her parents and her son-in-law, George Coburn, Lorraine is survived by her husband, Jules, and children, Judy Coburn and Joel, daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and grandchildren, Danny, Sara and Liora, as well as sister-in-law, Sally Fohrman, niece. Elizabeth Simon, and grand-nephews, Edward and Ben. Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 17, 2013, at 10 a.m. at TEMPLE BETH EL, 2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, WI 53711. Rabbi Jonathan Biatch will be presiding. Burial will follow at Beit Olamin Jewish Cemetery at Sunset Memory Gardens in Madison. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, Jewish Social Services of Madison, or Hadassah. The family wishes to thank the staff of Jewish Social Services and of Capitol Lakes, as well as Dr. Jeremy Smith.