Eva Lester

OBITUARY EVA LESTER 1922-2008 Evangelie Papamatheaki Lester passed away peacefully at home on October 10, 2008, at the age of eighty-five. Eva will be deeply missed by her three children Kenneth (Trudy), Jason and Nina (Larry Lowenstein), her grandchildren Allison, Devin, Nicholas, Julie, Maya and Anna Lisa, her brother George, and her many friends and colleagues. Eva was predeceased by Murray, her beloved husband of 50 years. Born and raised on the island of Crete, Eva moved to Athens following WWII to study medicine. She specialized in pediatrics and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study child psychiatry in Buffalo, New York. Arriving in Buffalo in 1954, speaking little English, Eva soon met Murray Lester and they married the following year. Since the terms of her scholarship prevented the young couple from remaining in the United States, Eva and Murray looked northward to Montreal where they both found positions and settled down to raise their family. Eva joined the staff of the Allen Memorial Institute (the psychiatric division of the Royal Victoria Hospital) as a resident in 1956, and stayed on for four decades. For the greater part of her career Eva was the Director of the Child and Adolescent Branch of the Allen Memorial, as well as Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University. While continuing her psychiatric practice, she trained as a psychoanalyst and then became a training analyst. Eva served a term as President of the Canadian Psychoanalytic Society and was the founding editor of the Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis. She was deeply interested in the academic side of psychoanalysis, researching and publishing on a variety of subjects. Eva was a person of ideas and intellect; she immersed herself in her work and nurtured a love of poetry, literature and art. She remained passionate about Greek language and culture throughout her life. She was gentle and loving, sensitive and empathetic. Eva will be remembered by so many whom she touched during her life: family, friends, colleagues, students and patients. Heartfelt gratitude goes to Dr. Sam Benaroya and caregiver Linda Buenviaje, and the homecare staff at Metro CLSC. Funeral service to be held on Friday October 17, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount Royal Funeral Complex, 1297 Chemin de la Foret, Outremont, tel: 514-279-6540. Donations in Eva's memory can be made to the Allen Memorial Institute, c/o the Royal Victoria Hospital Foundation, 687 Pine Avenue West, Suite A1.07, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, tel: 514-843-1543, attention Ms. Peggy Killeen, www.royalvic.com .