The Life of Lia Freedman

Freedman, Lia (Nee Gumpert) Bien Freedman, 94, July 24, 2016. A private grave side service will be held at 1pm on Mon., July 25th at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, PA.

Daughter of Henrietta Wolfson and Walter Gumpert and beloved twin sister of Mia, Lia was born in Berlin, Germany and grew up in Mount Vernon, NY. Her first husband, the late Dr. Edward J. Bien, was head of nuclear medicine at Meadowbrook Hospital, now the Nassau County Medical Center. Her second husband, the late Edwin Freedman, was a New York Judge and former president of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Lia was a passionate sculptor. Her work in ceramics were shown at Gallery 21, the Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s City Hall, and the Ardmore Arts Council. An avid gardener, Lia put her talents to use in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s City Harvest Program cultivating seedlings raised in Pennsylvania prisons to provide fresh vegetables to those in need. Along with her dear friend Louise and others from a small allotment near her Fairmount home she provided over 1,000 pounds of vegetables a season.

Lia is survived by her children, Elizabeth, Rebecca (David), and Jonathan (Mari),grandchildren Jamie, Emily, Michael, Teddy, Max, Sam, and Alex, and greatgrandchildren, Jane, William, and Alana. Lia greatly enjoyed flying and did so often with her late son-in-law Alan Gewirtz.

Donations in memory of Lia can be made to:
Philadelphia Horticultural Society
City Harvest Program
phs-info@pennhort.org
https://www.pennhort.net/give or

Philadelphia Senior Centre-Arts
509 South broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
info@newcourtland.org
Arrangements by West Laurel Hill Funeral Home, Inc.