Audrey Golomb Lasday
LASDAY: On Dec. 19, 2011, Audrey Golomb Lasday of Maplewood, N.J. and formerly of Washington, Pa.; an active member of the Washington community, she was known for her generous heart and unparalleled kindness. She welcomed every newcomer with her special gift of warmth. She made friends wherever she went, and kept them for a lifetime. She was born May 5, 1928, in Pittsburgh, a daughter of Maurice and Mollie Golomb. She graduated from Taylor-Alderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh. Her first job upon graduation was as district director of the Girl Scouts of St. Louis. In was in St. Louis that she met Dr. Richard M. Lasday on a blind date, which led to a happy marriage of 61 years. They were wed on September 10, 1950, in Pittsburgh and moved to Washington, Pa., where Dr. Lasday established his veterinary practice. Mrs. Lasday was dedicated to Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., and traveled to Israel for conferences and to see the good works of Hadassah. She was known around the world as the consummate “Hadassah lady.” In Washington she was the most active member of Beth Israel Congregation, serving as president of the Sisterhood and of the Hadassah chapter, editor of the congregation newsletter and principal of the religious school. She could be found doing everything from cooking in the synagogue kitchen to singing in the choir to leading services. She was a member of American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the National Organization of Women (NOW) and championed civil rights in the community. In 1996, the Lasdays moved to West Orange to be closer to family. It took precious little time for her talents and enthusiasm to be appreciated by their new community and she became Hadassah president there within six months. She was a member of Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, N.J., where she taught Sunday school. Surviving are her loving husband, Dr. Richard M. Lasday of Maplewood, N.J.; and three children, Judi Curl of Owings Mills, Md., Deborah Lasday and husband Brian O’Reilly of Upper Montclair, N.J., and David Lasday and wife Dr. Lisa Stern of New York City; five grandchildren, Seth Curl and wife Heather of Los Angeles, Calif., Abigail and Ethan O’Reilly of Montclair, and Asher and Yonina Lasday of New York City; one sister, Bernice Davis of Pittsburgh; and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews. Services were held at Temple Ner Tamid. Contributions may be made to Hadassah 50 W 58th St. New York, NY 10019, Temple Ner Tamid 936 North Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003-2867 or the Harold and Bernice Davis Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease at Brandeis University, Office of Development and Alumni relations, mailstop 126, P.O. Box 549110, Waltham, MA 02454.
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