Centenarian and longtime Denver resident Selma Friedman passed away Oct. 25, 2021. She was 102. Services were held Oct. 26 at Mt. Nebo Memorial Cemetery, officiated by Rabbis Rachel Kobrin and Sara Gilbert, and Cantor Emeritus Saul Rosenthal.
Mrs. Friedman was born Feb. 18, 1919 and was raised in Brooklyn, NY. She worked in the New York fashion industry and was a buyer during WWII.
In 1946, she married Bernard Gilson, and moved to Long Island. Mr. Gilson died in 1974.
Two years later, Mrs. Friedman married Abraham “Dick” Friedman. They moved to Denver in 1994, and were married 36 years until Mr. Friedman’s passing in 2012.
Mrs. Friedman’s family called her a “social connector.”
“She loved meeting people and playing a good game of ‘Jewish geography,’” the family noted.
Mrs. Friedman was a member of Hadassah for more than 65 years, and was an active member of Rodef Shalom. Her family said just two years ago she had an aliyah during services to mark her 100th birthday.
She was predeceased by her husbands Bernard Gilson and Abraham Friedman, and daughter Marla Gilson Tuvin. Mrs. Friedman is survived by Della (Jeffery) Levy; son-in-law Carl Tuvin; Charles Friedman and Miles (Lainie) Friedman, and six grandchildren.
Donations may be made to Congregation Rodef Shalom or the LEA Chapter of Hadassah.
