LINDA RUTH PLAUT

PLAUT, Linda Ruth Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Newton Age 78, died peacefully in her sleep at her Newton home, on Sunday surrounded by friends and family. From 1974 until her very last day, Linda was devoted to promoting cultural and civic life in the City of Newton. She started hundreds of Newton's cultural events, festivals, courses, children's classes, musical programs, performances and parades. She kept them thriving over the past 45 years and had no plans to retire. Linda would see multiple generations of children enjoy the same programming she had developed years earlier for their parents. She enriched life for hundreds of thousands of people. Linda believed in making Newton a place where everyone could contribute. When people came to City Hall with an idea for cultural or community programming, Linda routinely would support their ideas and harness their enthusiasm. Linda built extensive networks of people and programming by empowering others and encouraging them to bring their vision to the community. From this inclusive approach she helped found and run Newton's Harvest Fair, SpringFest, the Festival of the Arts in Newton, the Newton Youth Players theatre program, Time for Partners classes, Fourth of July festivities, NewtonSERVES, several beautification campaigns, the Newton Spelling Bee, Holiday Window Painting, holiday plant sales, the Public Piano project, dance recitals, cultural fairs and festivals honoring Indian, Russian and Chinese cultures, Newton's Heartbreak Hill road race and countless others. She started a folk concert series and a bluegrass festival, she sponsored classical music concerts and opera performances, and she invited internationally known lecturers, artists and musicians to come to Newton. She started sister city relationships with towns in Ireland, Italy, Israel and Japan and brought delegations of Newtonians to visit those places. Linda worked tirelessly to make Newton a better place. She was said to have known more people in Newton than anyone other than the sitting mayor. "Linda Plaut Day" in Newton was celebrated in both 1988 and 2017. She was always grateful to Mayor Theodore Mann, her first mentor and champion in Newton civic life, and subsequently had the privilege of working for the City under the stewardship of Mayor's Thomas Concannon, David Cohen, Setti Warren and, most recently, the Honorable Ruthanne Fuller. In 1988 she was appointed the Director of the Newton Tricentennial Celebration and since that time she served as the Director of the Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs, the Director of the Newton Cultural Council and the Director of the Newton Pride Committee. Linda also served as an Associate Commissioner for the Metropolitan District Commission in Boston. Far from being handed these opportunities, Linda started her career in Newton with no extended family within 200 miles, no contacts, no connections, and no experience in building cultural or civic communities. She built her legacy though vision, dedication, relentless effort, and the ability to listen to others to see how she could help them succeed in making Newton better themselves. She grew up playing stickball on the streets of Brooklyn with her three brothers, attended Brooklyn College, and then studied at the University of Wisconsin and at the East West Center in Hawaii where she earned her Master's Degree. She taught history at White Plains High School in New York. In 1965 she married Dr. Andrew Plaut and they spent two years living in Bangkok, Thailand where Andrew did medical research for the U.S. Army and where their daughter Julie was born. In Bangkok, Linda taught English as a Second Language. After living in Buffalo where their son Jonathan was born the family moved to Newton in 1973. Linda, knowing nobody in the city and with two small children, began to volunteer for the city's bicentennial parade. Linda's desire to bring people into the civic fold grew directly out of her own need to create a community for herself. She had full tables at her house for Thanksgiving meals, Passover Seders and holiday parties, and even threw a Patriots Super Bowl party last month. She was an extremely warm person who would bring those without close families into the hearth she created. She hosted exchange students from Japan, Egypt, Jordan, England, Korea, Spain, Guatemala, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and elsewhere. She let performers from out of town stay in her house while they performed in Newton. She loved classical music, the Berkshires, live theatre, books on history and Democratic politics, cooking, blue and white pottery, and watching Rachel Maddow's nightly incredulity. She was a devoted and beloved mother, grandmother, and sister. Many others viewed Linda as family they chose for themselves. She is survived by her daughter, Julie Plaut Mahoney, son, Jonathan David Plaut, son-in-law Tim Mahoney, grandchildren Jacob and Sarah, and her three devoted brothers Ed, Mike, and Richard Fields and their loving spouses and children. Her deepest wish was that others live their lives to make the world a more inclusive place. Services at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at 10:00am. Burial at Newton Cemetery, Newton. Shiva will be announced at the Service. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of Linda to the Anti-Defamation League, 40 Court Street, Suite #12, Boston, MA 02108 or the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton, 675 Watertown Street, Newton, MA 02460. Levine Chapels, Brookline 617-277-8300 www.levinechapels.com