Samuel LIEBERMAN

The Honourable Samuel Sereth Lieberman
A.O.E., C.D., Q.C., LL.D. (Hon.)
It is with great sadness that we announce that our beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on September 19, 2012.
Sam is survived by Nancy, his loving wife of 62 years, son David, daughters JoAnn McLaughlin (Russ), Audrey and grandsons Daniel Lieberman, Sean McLaughlin.
Born in Edmonton on April 14, 1922, to M.I. Lieberman, Q.C. and Emily Sereth Lieberman, Sam grew up in Glenora with his older sister Ethel (Fried).
In 1940, he enlisted in the RAF, completing two tours of operations with the RCAF Coastal Command in Europe and the Middle East, attaining the rank of Squadron Leader.
Returning to Edmonton in 1945, Sam resumed his studies at the University of Alberta, completing his B.A. in 1947 and LL.B. in 1948. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 1948 and joined Friedman, Lieberman and Newson.
Sam was active in a wide range of community and law-related organizations, including Kiwanis Club, CNIB, B'nai Brith, Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, Canadian Bar Association, Legal Aid Society of Alberta, Congregation Beth Shalom, Edmonton Eskimos Football Club, Edmonton Symphony, Sir Winston Churchill Society, Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame and Technion.
In 1966, Sam was appointed a Judge of the District Court of Alberta. In 1970, he was appointed a Justice of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench. He was instrumental in establishing the Alberta Board of Review for persons found to be criminally insane. He became its first Chair and served in that position for nine years. He also served as the first Chair of the Legal Aid Society of Alberta.
In 1976, Sam was appointed a Justice of the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal of the Northwest Territories.
In 1990, the University of Alberta awarded Sam an honourary Doctor of Laws.
After 31 years of public service he retired from the Court of Appeal in 1997.
He then joined the law firm Miller Thomson, where he enjoyed over 10 years of arbitration and counsel work until 2008.
From 1997 - 2002, he served as a member of the Alberta Crimes Compensation Board and as Chair of the Alberta Criminal Injuries Review Board.
In 2006, he received the Alberta Order of Excellence.
Sam was a true gentleman. He set high standards for himself, and challenged others to follow. His commitment to public service, in his professional life as well as the community at large, was exemplary.
Sam traveled throughout the world, but there was no place he loved more than the Alberta Rockies and Northern Canada. He enjoyed skiing, golfing and fly fishing.
Special thanks to our caregiver, Miriam and the staff at the Veterans Centre.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 2:00 p.m., at Beth Shalom Synagogue, 11916 Jasper Avenue.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Alberta Faculty of Law for the establishment of a scholarship in Sam's name or to a charity of your choice.