Laura Goodman

Laura Baylin Goodman, 93, passed away on May 7, 2004, in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her family at her side. The daughter of Oscar and Elizabeth Baylin, she was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on July 24, 1910, and was the eldest of five sisters. At an early age Laura developed a passion for the arts and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Moore Institute of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She married A. Allan Goodman, Esq., who predeceased her in 1979. Together they raised three children: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, a criminal defense attorney for 35 years prior to his public office; Lona Livingston, a member of the faculty at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois; and Ericka B. Goodman, a former ballerina with the world renowned George Balanchine ballet company and thereafter with the Joffrey Ballet Company of New York City. Laura was an extraordinary woman who was well ahead of her time in espousing her own rights as a woman and whose wit, clear-sighted understanding of individual needs and artistic talents touched all around her. Among her many accolades during her lifetime, she won the Philadelphia Professional Sculptors Award and was a frequent exhibitor of her brilliant bronze, terra cotta, oil, pastel artwork and fine jewelry shown in prestigious galleries over the years throughout the Philadelphia area. Laura was commissioned to create the centerpiece mosaic wall at the Main Line Reform Temple in Merion, PA. which has long been admired and enjoyed by the community. Another facet of this devoted artist and caring, talented individual, Laura taught blind students-both young and old, how to create art, how to sculpt and for these endeavors she was honored for her achievements by former Pennsylvania Governor Richard Thornburgh. Laura earned her PhD in art therapy from Antioch University, remarkably while in her early 70's. Thereafter she counseled underachieving students at the Satinsky Institute at Hahneman Hospital in Center City, Philadelphia for many ears until she moved to Las Vegas in February, 2003. Once in Nevada, Laura resided at Seville Terrace in Summerlin to continue her independent living style which continued until her death. Never to give up working and promoting the arts, she lectured at the Las Vegas Art Museum and was preparing to teach Advanced Placement students bronze sculpting at The Meadows School. Her relationship with her sisters: Alice Brazina (a teacher in the Philadelphia school system and an accomplished musician now deceased and formerly of Philadelphia), Evelyn Feinberg of Philadelphia, Adele Lerman of Denver, Colo., and Gloria Fishbein of Aventura, Fla., was as if they were one. Her closeness with her siblings remained vibrant until her last days. Laura was incredibly close to her own children, their spouses; Carolyn Goodman and Philip Livingston; her grandchildren, and their families; Dr. Oscar B., Jr. (Ana); son, Samuel Of New York, N.Y., Ross C. (Emily A.); and their children; Benjamin and Caroline; Eric A., Cara Goodman Schwartz (Dr. Adam A.), all of Las Vegas, Dr. Lauren Stein Muangman (Dr. Scott); their daughter, Lindsay of McLean, Va., and Alexander Stein of Los Angeles. Private family services were conducted by Rabbi Felipe Goodman (no relation) on Mother's Day in Las Vegas. The family wishes that those who care to make donations to a newly established Meadows School scholarship endowment for postsecondary art education in the name of Laura B. Goodman in Las Vegas or to Temple Beth Shalom, of which she was a member.