Obituary of Marcia Koven
Marcia Koven, a driving force and leading light of the Saint John, New Brunswick, Jewish community whose decades of service culminated in her founding of the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum 36 years ago, passed away on Thursday March 3, 2022 at the Hillel Lodge of the Jewish Home for the Aged in Ottawa. Born in Saint John on December 26, 1926, to Rose Freedman (died 1993) and John Jacob Freedman (died 1964), she resided in the city until 2013, when she moved to Toronto to be closer to family. Her impact and enduring imprimatur on the Saint John Jewish community and on the city as a whole are impossible to quantify. In addition to conceiving of the museum and serving as its inaugural curator, Marcia variously served as president of the Henrietta Szold Chapter of Hadassah-WIZO; president of the sisterhood of Congregation Shaarei-Zedek; founder and secretary of the Shomer Club, an organization of seniors; secretary of the Association of Museums of New Brunswick, and secretary of the Canadian Jewish Historical Society. On her resume, in the section labeled “Employment,” Marcia described herself as a “lifetime professional volunteer,” including on behalf of the Chevra Kadisha (the synagogue’s burial society), the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Canadian Cancer Society. Marcia was creative, relentless and tireless – an inspiration to colleagues, friends and family for her no-nonsense, can-do spirit and determination to see the spark of an idea through to its execution.
A graduate of Saint John High School (1943) and the Saint John General Hospital School of Nursing (1948), she made the bold decision in her early 50s to enroll in the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology in 1982. She was 55. It was as a student at UNB that she first imagined a museum that would commemorate the Jewish community in which she was raised, which had about 250 families at its peak in the 1960s. She later captured their stories in a book, “Weaving the Past into the Present: A Glimpse of the 130 Year History of the Saint John Jewish Community” (1989).
Marcia adored her family and for decades her home on Anderson Drive was a holiday destination for family members who came from across Canada and the U.S.
In addition to her parents, Marcia was predeceased by her beloved husband, Jerry (Joseph) Koven, who died in 2010; as well as her brothers, Dr. Lewis H. (Ita) Freedman and Bernard (Natalie) Freedman. She is survived by a sister, Edythe Steinberg (Barry) of Fall River, Mass.; four children: Diane Koven (Al Garman) of Ottawa, Charlotte Koven of Toronto, Andrew Koven (Lynn Lurie) of New York, and Sherry Koven Sheffman (Robbie Sheffman) of Victoria, BC; eight grandchildren: Rachel Feldbloom (Grant Wood), Sarah Feldbloom (Gideon Greenbaum-Shinder), Jeremy Koven (Aviva Attis), Zahava Poriah, Barnett Koven, Franny Koven, Rebecca Sheffman, and Sunny Sheffman (Gabe Cemaj Hochstein); and two great-grandchildren, Joseph and Ben Koven.
Arrangements are under the care of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (506-634-7424). A graveside ceremony will be held at the Shaarei Zedek Jewish Cemetery on Westmorland Road in Saint John on Monday, March 7 at 1 PM. Everyone in attendance is asked to wear a mask and to maintain physical distancing as to minimize the risk of COVID-19. All others are invited to join by Livestream by visiting Marcia’s obituary on Brenan’s Website (www.BrenansFH.com) and clicking on “View Livestream”. Donations should be directed to the Marcia and Jerry Koven Fund of the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum (jewishmuseumsj.com/).

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Marcia
Koven 1926 2022..

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Death notice for the town of: Saint John, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick

death notice Marcia
Koven 1926 2022

mortuary notice Marcia
Koven 1926 2022