Luba Cates, loving and beloved wife and mother, passed away October 20th, 2017 in Winnipeg at age 89, 9 days short of her 90th birthday.
Her husband, Theodore (Ted) predeceased her in 2006 after 56 years of marriage. Luba leaves her children Farley, Margo and Tara, daughter-in-law Lois, son-in-law Alan Roth, brother Zachariah Kay and granddaughter Zoe. Luba was the daughter of Samuel and Rose Kay.
Luba had a bigger than life presence yet was solid and grounded and believed deeply in equality and acceptance. Even though a private person, Luba had the unique ability to enter a room and connect with strangers, making them feel immediately at ease and valuable. She believed age was just a number and her mind and zest for life allowed her to bypass generations and communicate with others regardless of age and experience.
Luba’s greatest love was her husband, Ted. Together they created a foundation of family and set a table where any subject or issue could be discussed openly. They had a vibrant social life and their home was always a warm and welcoming environment. They exemplified the best of what a marriage and partnership are about: perseverance, dedication, deep love, respect, dignity and compassion.
Luba and Ted were passionately interested in exploring other cultures and in the arts – these passions were passed on to their children from an early and throughout their lives: a love for literature, music, theatre, film, travel, good conversation and thoughtful debate, humour and laughter but most importantly a will to weather life’s ups and downs with tenacity and strength.
Luba was devoted to the things in life that gave her purpose such as a lifelong love for volunteerism. She helped to establish the first pre-school daycare program in Appleton, Wisconsin, one of the first in the entire Midwest region. During her adult years, she was co-owner of an art business and an active member with Pioneer Women and the National Council for Jewish Women. In her senior years, she was devoted to the Gwen Sector Centre for Seniors, the Saturday Night Discussion Group and the Winnipeg Yiddish Group. She was dedicated to preserving family history and her commitment to celebrating Yiddish culture lead to her involvement as a translator on Arguing the Storm, a critically lauded collection of Yiddish stories. The group had the honour of receiving UNESCO’s World Treasure status.
Luba will always be remembered by family, friends and community as a woman of warmth, wit, and wisdom.
Funeral services were held October 22nd at the Chesed Shel Emes with burial at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. Donations may be made to a charity of choice or to The Gwen Sector Centre (Winnipeg), Jewish Public Library (Montreal) or The Winnipeg Jewish Child and Family Services.
