Obituary of Annie Lipshitz

Annie Zelda (Anne) Lipshitz passed away peacefully in her 99th year at Columbia Forest Long Term Care in Waterloo, Ontario. Born in Cape Town, South Africa to Solomon and Esther Matla Cohen, she married Marcus Lipshitz, a civil engineer, also from Cape Town, on April 9th, 1940 (the photograph above was taken for their engagement in 1939). Anne and Mark made their home in Durban, South Africa. She served in the Red Cross during World War II - caring for soldiers injured in the East Africa Campaign who were hospitalized in Durban - to the rank of Warrant Officer, declining further promotion as unnecessary for her to fulfill her role in alleviating their suffering. Thereafter, she raised three sons and was active in many charitable and educational organizations in Durban. Anne was highly skilled at pewter work and leather work, producing stunning mirrors, fire screens, bottles and dishes decorated with the former, footstools and wall art with the latter. For a time, before the birth of her third son, she ran a small business selling her crafts. She was also an accomplished Scrabble player, handily beating people half her age well into her 80s. Anne and Mark celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends at the home of their youngest son, Howard, in Pasadena, California in 1990. Mark passed away on April 27th, 1991 in his 82nd year. Anne then moved to Waterloo to live with her oldest son, Stanley. For many years thereafter she volunteered at Keatsway Public School, assisting children, particularly those of immigrants, in mastering English. She received a School Volunteer Award from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, Waterloo Region, when she retired from these activities shortly before her 91st birthday. Anne was predeceased by her older brother, Louis, her older sister, Janie, and younger brother, Hyman Walter. She was very close to, and is survived by, Mark's younger sister, Jeanne, who is now over 100 years old and resides in Israel. Anne will be missed by her sons Stanley, Leonard and Howard; Rita and Susanna; and her grandchildren Robert, Benjamin and Sarah. Arrangements entrusted to the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home 171 King St. S., Waterloo www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.