GRAVESIDE FUNERAL LIMITATIONS
As of
Monday December 27
, Due to the rapid increase in the last week in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant, we have made the decision to only allow a maximum number of 25 people plus the clergy and staff at the gravesite.
Our priority is to protect the families who have suffered a loss, the community we serve, the clergy and cemetery staff we work with and of course our staff.
Current Listings
LISTINGS
SHIVA
UNVEILING
PREVIOUS WEEK
CEMETERY MAPS
MONTHLY SERVICES
No current services.
Sandra Trehub Matthews
Hebrew Name:
Shayna Ita Bat Noach Tacaav Ve Shoshana
Death Date:
Friday, January 20, 2023
Yahrzeit Date:
28 Tevet 5783
Funeral Date:
Monday, January 23, 2023
Funeral Place:
Graveside
Funeral Time:
12:00 PM
Cemetery:
Lambton Cemetery
Cemetery Section:
Junction Synagogue
Shiva Address:
Shiva Direction & Info:
Notice:
Sandra Trehub Matthews Mom passed away suddenly on Friday January 21. She passed quickly, quietly without pain, sickness or decline. Our mother, Sandra was born May 21,1938 in Montreal, Quebec, the middle child of Norman Jack Trehub and Rose Horowitz. She grew up in leafy Outremont and attended Guy Drummond Elementary School, and Strathcona Academy High School. Early on, our late grandparents recognized that their daughter Sandra was academically gifted and they nurtured and supported her in all her academic endeavors. Our mother not only graduated first in her high school class or even first in her school, she graduated first in the province of Quebec and was awarded The Lieutenant Governors Gold Medal. She subsequently graduated McGill University at 19 years old with a Bachelors of Economics and Commerce. She also graduated first in her B Com class being one of only 3 females in a male dominated discipline and was even encouraged by one of her professors not to try too hard on her final exam so that a man who actually-may need to work should get that honour and distinction. Needless-to-say it's advice that she didn't follow. That same year mom married our dear father, Norman Cohen. Mom and Dad had 3 children, me being the oldest, my sister Dana the middle child, and my brother Ira being the youngest. With 3 young children at home Mom returned to McGill University pursuing a Masters in Psychology, and eventually a PHD. Around that same time mom met the great love of her life our late stepfather Ron Matthews. Together Ron and my mother forged a new path together where they also supported and nurtured each other's careers, our mother as a University of Toronto psychology professor, researcher, lecturer, and prolific publisher of original academic research and our stepfather as he built his architectural practice. Together they raised 6 kids, travelled the world, diligently cared for their own parents and developed beautiful lifelong friendships with Ruth and Oscar Zaretsky, and Rosalie and Irwin Fefergrad, and Hallie Frank. Our mother and stepfather lived truly exemplary lives. There are some things I'd like to share about our mother. You could probably not win an argument with her so it would be best to back down. She was a tireless worker, probably the hardest working person I have ever known. As young kids, we would observe her working on her research at the dining room table when we went to bed, and then we could find her working again at the dining room table when we woke up. Her strong political and societal views vis a vis structural inequality and privilege made it difficult if not impossible for her to hire or employ domestic help to assist at home. In-spite of the rigorous and competitive demands of her academic career she found the time to prepare 3 meals a day, where almost everything was made from scratch. Our mother was the most generous person imaginable in every possible way. She had all the time in the world for her children, her stepchildren, her grandchildren, her sisters, her nieces and nephews and their children, her friends and her academic colleagues. She had this gift that could make you feel that you were the only one that mattered. She helped us with our problems, as she had the sharpest problem solving mind. She deeply cared about our goals and aspirations, she challenged us to confront or overcome our fears. She provided financial assistance to many people in need and often anonymously. Mom and Ron sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family in the late 1970's and later on her own more recently mom sponsored a Yazidi refugee family. She used the power of her privilege to help as many people as she could. There are so many examples I can think of that relate to her generosity. Shortly after our late stepfather's funeral in 2007 my mother's former graduate student Leigh Thorpe came up to me and asked if I was truly aware of just how many academic careers my mother helped launch. This made me realize just how compartmentalized and how humble she was, because to us she was just our mom and at home she rarely discussed her work. When I was studying at The University of Toronto someone once asked me if Sandra Trehub was my mother then proceeded to tell me, to my astonishment that my mother was a world-famous scientist. Mom's research focussed on listening skills in infants and young children, auditory perception, especially discriminating and remembering sound patterns and melodies and lullabies. Our mother published a vast amount of academic research, sat on scientific councils throughout Canada and the United States and continued to give academic lectures throughout the world including well into her official retirement because she never really did retire from her work. Most recently at the age of 80 years old our mother joined the board of St Jamestown Community Arts, an organization that provides free music lessons and a summer arts camp to inner city children in one of Toronto's most challenging urban environments. Just like everything else she did in her life our mother gave generously of her time, treasure, intellect, problem solving skills in addition to her amazing grant writing skills honed from so many years in academia, plus newly acquired skills in fundraising and stewardship. She was singularly devoted to using all her talent to advancing the lives of others. Mom lived a full, complete, fulfilled life and accomplished everything she set out to do. She is survived by her sisters Estelle and Maxine, Her 3 children Andrew, Dana and Ira, son in law Arthur, Ira's life partner Jeanne, her 3 stepchildren, Neil, Ina and Benjamin, 18 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Our mother was our friend, our role model, our teacher, mentor and guide. Mom leaves a legacy of good-deeds, a family that will perpetually admire her and be inspired by her, as well as many cherished friendships. She illuminated the path for all of us. It's hard to imagine life without her. May she rest in peace and may her memory be a blessing for all.
Charity:
St Jamestown Community Arts c/o
https://stjamestowncommunityarts.org
/
Other Information:
To watch the service today please use the link the family has provided:
https://youtu.be/cpoA6ZW1XSU
Please click here to view or sign the memorial book for the family of the late Sandra Trehub Matthews.
[
Click here for printer friendly version
]
[
Return to the Home Page
]
3429 Bathurst Street (at Melrose Ave), Toronto, M6A 2C3 Phone: 416-780-0596