Obituary of Luella Beatrice Newman
NEWMAN, Luella
September 20, 1948 – October 15, 2019
A vibrant and generous spirit. A loving mother and partner, a cherished daughter, sister, and aunt. A wonderful friend and respected leader and colleague.
Luella is survived by her husband of 44 years, John Murray, daughter Brenna (Greg), mother Helen, brother Bob (Corinne), nieces Stacey, Lisa, Jessica and Amy, as well as sister-in-law Janet and family. She was predeceased by her father Albert and brother Gordon.
Luella Beatrice Newman was born in Ponoka, Alberta on September 20, 1948. The oldest of three children, her first years were spent on the farm, and later in Hinton, where she had plenty of fun exploring the forests and foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her brothers. Luella excelled in school, completing Bachelor of Arts and Library Information Science degrees at the University of Alberta, where she met her husband John.
Luella believed strongly in the power of reading to change lives and in libraries as civic institutions. She loved children’s literature, and was co-owner of the Children’s Corner (Reader’s Corner) Bookstore for 17 years. Later, she moved on to a successful career with the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. She was an active volunteer with many organizations, such as Coteau Books, the Saskatchewan Book Awards, the Lifelong Learning Centre book sale, and was a long-time member of the Women’s Action Collective on Health and Saskatchewan Library Association.
Luella took great pleasure in the arts and in travel. She regularly attended the Regina Folk Festival and others across Canada, the RSO, events at the Art Gallery of Regina and the MacKenzie. She made her home a showcase for Saskatchewan and Canadian art. Her art extended to the kitchen, where she enjoyed cooking, often with her favourite music streaming while she worked. She loved to travel—notably New York, Bali, Italy, South Africa and to Morocco - and she spent a fabulous year in the Sultanate of Oman with her family exploring desert landscapes and snorkeling in the Indian Ocean. Her photo albums reflect her appreciation for the people, artworks, and landscapes that she witnessed.
Luella has many friends in the world of Saskatchewan libraries and literature, the Thursday Night Girls, and countless others. Her yoga practice gave her inner strength, and she took solace in creating art with fellow cancer survivors.
Her family is grateful for the exceptional care and kindness provided by teams at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre and Unit 3A Palliative Care at the Pasqua Hospital, and by Dr. Sally Mahood.
Rest in peace, Lu. Your light shines brightly.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to honor Luella may be directed to Bonnie Chapman, 4219 Garnet Street, Regina, SK, S4S 3H1, in support of her Enso Compassionate Arts for Health program, where Luella and other cancer survivors experienced joy exercising creativity to support their well-being.
To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.speersfuneralchapel.com
