Lloyd Newman

Lloyd Merrill Newman died at home in Halifax on September 30, 2024, at the age of 90, from complications of advanced Alzheimer’s disease. He was the loving husband of Linda Law and the proud father of Mark Newman (Barbara), Amy Newman Brown (Mitchell), and the late Shawna Newman (Charley Kummel).

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 29, 1934, Lloyd graduated from the University of Michigan in 1956 before becoming a first lieutenant, US Air Force, from 1956 to 1959 (navigator, electronic warfare officer). In 1960 he moved to Halifax where his first wife, Iris Cappell, had grown up, and started from the ground up working at a small local family business which he subsequently built into a 20-store Atlantic Canadian chain of women’s fashion stores called the Arcade Ladies Shoppe in Nova Scotia and Nortel’s in Newfoundland and New Brunswick. At the chain, he was universally beloved as a fair and supportive boss, encouraging young talent and seeing potential where they themselves often did not. He was a huge believer in giving second (and third!) chances when employees made mistakes. Many of his team went on to more elevated positions at other companies but never forgot the part Lloyd played in their development.

During the “boat people” crisis of 1975 and 1976, when Vietnamese people were seeking asylum in Canada, the Arcade sponsored a family, the whole staff getting involved. Nearly 50 years later the patriarch of the family, Lan Truong, still credits Lloyd with giving his family the opportunity to start their new life in Canada.

When the chain closed, Lloyd took a one-year position in London, Ontario, as executive director of the London Jewish Federation, before moving back to Halifax, marrying Linda, and becoming the managing director of the Northwood Foundation, a position he held for 14 years. At Northwood he was credited with putting the foundation on the fundraising map, so to speak, founding signature events such as the annual Appetite for Life fundraising gala (now called Live More Awards) and other smaller events that raised the profile of Northwood.

Lloyd was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Miriam “May” Newman; his brothers Ray and Robert “Bob”; and his beloved daughter Shawna. He is survived by his wife of many years Linda “Linnie” Law; his son Mark and daughter Amy; his grandchildren Joseph “Joey” (Noelle), Eli, Leah (Adam Birnbaum), Hannah, Chloe, and Max; as well as niece and nephews Richard, David, and Nancy Newman.

Lloyd was a generous and trusted volunteer for the Jewish community in Halifax and Atlantic Canada: past president of the Atlantic Jewish Council; past chair, Congregation Shaar Shalom Capital and Endowment Fund; past president (twice) of the Board of Directors of Shaar Shalom Synagogue; and past national secretary of the Canada–United Israel Appeal.

Throughout his life he was a passionate lover of and volunteer for the arts. He loved all forms of artistic expression: theatre, music, dance, the visual arts.

At various points in his life, he was past president and life director of Neptune Theatre in Halifax and long-time governor of the National Theatre School of Canada. He was president of Symphony Nova Scotia, and widely credited with helping to resurrect it from the ashes of the bankrupt Atlantic Symphony. In 1990 he was appointed to set up and chair the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation, which was established to promote and subsidize Nova Scotia’s motion picture industry (in 2008 the Crown corporation’s name was changed to Film Nova Scotia). From 1984 to 1989 he was appointed to represent Atlantic Canada on the board of The Canada Council, the country’s federal arts funder, whose mandate is to foster and promote the arts. He was a former member of the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD); vice-chair, Board of Governors of Nova Scotia Museums comprising 28 museum sites, the most decentralized museum in Canada and one of its oldest provincial museums; and member of the Prince Edward Scholarship Committee for the Province of Nova Scotia.

In 1992 he was awarded a Canada 125 Medal in recognition of his contribution to the arts.

Before Alzheimer’s intervened, Lloyd was a passionate and inventive cook—noisy, messy, fearless: steam rising, pots rattling, opera blasting in the background. Neighbours always knew when he was preparing for a dinner party. He loved entertaining guests at home and enjoyed his own cooking unabashedly, often interrupting the table conversation to exclaim, “Wow, this is really good!”

Lloyd’s friends were lucky, and they knew it. He was the best of friends to many, many people: non-judgmental, supportive, and generous. The late Rowland Smith—one of many beloved friends who predeceased Lloyd—defined a friend as the person you could call in the middle of the night, ask to meet you in 10 minutes at the corner of Agricola and Almon Streets, and they would be there, no questions asked. Lloyd was that friend to Rowland and many others, including his wife and children.

Throughout his life Lloyd was a passionate golfer and tennis player for whom the social aspects of the game (and post-game activities) were nearly as compelling as the game itself. He and Linda travelled extensively all over the world until he was no longer able to travel.

Lloyd’s funeral will take place at Shaar Shalom Synagogue, 1981 Oxford Street, at 12:00pm Tuesday, October 1, with burial to follow at the Connaught Avenue Jewish Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to commemorate Lloyd could do so by making a donation in his name to the Shaar Shalom Synagogue of Halifax.