Reva POTASHIN

POTASHIN, Reva
Born in Toronto on September 13, 1921, died in Vancouver on September 15, 2013. Reva, a retired UBC psychology professor, died peacefully, surrounded by close family members, just two days after her 92nd birthday. Reva is survived by her sister Dorothy Moses, 95, of Toronto; niece Miriam Moses; nephew Art Moses and his wife Suzanne Fournier and their two children, Reva's great-niece Naomi Nattrass Moses, and her wife Elan Nattrass Moses; and Reva's great-nephew Zev Moses. Reva was predeceased by sisters Mollie and Goldie Potashin and brother Harry Potashin. Reva was an academic pioneer in a time when few women achieved full tenure, spending more than 30 years at her career before retiring in 1986, always valuing her teaching more than the need to publish. Above all, however, Reva valued the joy that she got from being a devoted aunt and "grand-aunt." From the moment of Naomi's birth in 1983, and again when Zev was born in 1987, Reva became a loving caregiver, companion and mentor, someone who attended all their sporting events, graduations, special occasions and family dinners and birthdays. All of our extended family and friends valued her warm, lively conversation and her dry wit. She was generous, utterly reliable and able to offer sage advice to family members when it was sought. A strong, vibrant person and a role model, Reva was able to live independently until she was almost 90 years old. Reva resided at Panorama Place in the West End from 1965 until 2011, where she made many friends and enjoyed life to the full. She travelled to Switzerland to visit Naomi at school there in 2003, then went to France, where she enjoyed walking all over Paris by herself. In 2011, Reva moved to South Granville Park Lodge. Reva donated generously to many charities and organizations, including BC Women's and Children's Hospital, the Alzheimer's, Heart and Stroke, Parkinson's and Kidney Foundations, as well as to Medecins Sans Frontieres and Oxfam, Jewish Family Services and the Baycrest Foundation in Toronto. Donations may be made to any of these charities in Reva's name. Reva will be fondly missed and always remembered by her family and friends. Funeral Service to be held on Wednesday, September 18 at 12 noon at Schara Tzedeck Cemetery, 2345 Marine Drive, New Westminster BC (closest skytrain stop is 22nd Street). Reva's family thanks South Granville Park Lodge, where she resided for the last two years as well as RNs Joy and Marcus and other staff at Vancouver General Hospital.