Beatrice "Bea" Schuman

Washington, D.C. - Beatrice Schuman, 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, at her home in Washington, D.C.

She was born on April 30, 1921, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of Samuel and Minnie Weinberg, who came to this country at the turn of the twentieth century from Poland and Lithuania. Beatrice graduated Bay Ridge High School at the age of 16. During World War II, Beatrice volunteered with the United Service Organization. There she met a young Army soldier named Joseph Schuman, they were married in 1946 in Washington, DC. After a year in our nation's capital, they moved to New London and began a wholesale book business later known as Thames Book Company.

When her husband died in 1979, Bea, as she was known, took over the business. She ran it successfully for eleven years. In 1989, Bea was featured in a New London Day article entitled "Supermarket of Children's Books." The article stated: "Teachers and school librarians have no trouble finding their way to the inconspicuous establishment offering a wide variety of new and classic books for children and adults." Bea's love of children's books also led her to start a children's library in the pediatric department at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London.

Bea moved back to Washington, D.C. in 1994. She volunteered for the National Portrait Gallery and the Washington Ballet.

Bea's greatest pride was her family. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Lutzker and her husband, Arnold Lutzker, of Washington, DC; and her son, Judge Carl Schuman and his wife, Mary (DeMilia) Schuman, of West Hartford; her grandchildren, Erica Rich and her husband, Joshua Rich, of Los Angeles, Calif., Robert Lutzker and his wife, Liza Lutzker, of Berkeley, Calif., Joanna Hughes and her husband, Daniel Hughes, of Silver Spring, Md., Brooke Schuman of Somerville, Mass., Joseph Schuman of Cambridge, Mass., and Danielle Schuman of West Hartford; and five great-grandchildren, Sadie, Hazel, Teddy, Thea and Lucy.

Her family members extend their heartfelt gratitude to Vilma Iraheta for her loving care and her devotion to Bea.

Funeral services are private. Beatrice Schuman will be buried at the Beth El Cemetery in Groton. A memorial service will be held in Washington in December.

Condolence messages may be left on Mrs. Schuman's memorial page at www.neilanfuneralhome.com.