Norma L. Cantor

With great sadness we announce the passing of our dear mother, Norma Liebman Chase Cantor, at her home in Aventura, Florida, Monday February 8, 2021.

Norma was born in Rockville, Connecticut on May 23, 1929 to Harry and Lillian (Becker) Liebman and grew up in Ellington, Connecticut. She was born five years after her brother, Herbert “Herbie” Liebman, who pre-deceased her in 2018. Norma attended Rockville High School and the University of Connecticut in Storrs. With her passing, she joins other family members at their final resting place, the Liebman family plot at the Knesseth Israel Cemetery in Ellington.

For Norma, family meant so very much. She was always generous in spirit and action. Her good deeds came purely from her heart and she genuinely enjoyed giving to others, especially her family. She was a wonderful daughter. No matter if they were at home in Connecticut or their seasonal home in Florida, at a moment’s notice Norma would drive or fly to be by her parents’ side when they needed her. While growing up, our friends always wanted to be at our house because she created such a welcoming environment. She did this naturally throughout her life.

A one-of-a-kind dynamic lady, Norma was humble and would blush at any acknowledgement of the amazing woman she was. She lived life to the fullest and as such had many extraordinary experiences. These words best describe Norma; a truly elegant lady, always interested in others, incredibly gracious, generous, articulate, witty, intelligent, classy, poised, beautiful and well-turned-out. She had a very discerning eye and loved beauty in all forms, from her perfectly prepared gourmet meals to artistic expression of all kinds. She had impeccable style, taste and loved home decorating and design. She could watch her favorite chefs on the cooking channels for hours and was passionate about nature films featuring wild animals. Norma was a voracious reader, from classics to spicy novels. Playing mahjong and poker regularly, Norma also maintained a weekly bridge game for decades. A student of life, she loved it and all its intrigue. The older Norma got, the more colorfully outspoken she became. It was not unusual for Norma to be the life of the party on any occasion.

Norman Chase, a “city slicker” from Worcester, Massachusetts, courted and married Norma in the Connecticut countryside in 1949. While raising three children, Norma and Norman made time to help establish Ellington Ridge Country Club in 1959, where Norma played golf competitively and regionally for years. She also found time between full days of cherished motherhood to be active in and become a life member of Hadassah, B’nai B’rith, Rockville Connecticut General Hospital Auxiliary, Connecticut Jewish Historical Society, and the Jewish Federation. She was also a Charter Member of B’nai Israel Synagogue, Rockville, CT which her father Harry Liebman was instrumental in establishing, and now known as Beth Shalom B’nai Israel.

An avid sports enthusiast, Norma not only competed in golf, she also enjoyed a good game of tennis, along with family trips to the New England shoreline. Norma and Norman and their three young children at ages 4, 5 and 7 took up snow skiing and it quickly became the family’s favorite winter obsession.

In 1966 they purchased the former Ely Culbertson Estate in Brattleboro, VT, where they developed the Brookside apartment, and later condominium complexes. In 1970 they relocated to Vermont permanently and purchased the former Brooks Hotel, an historic Main Street landmark in downtown Brattleboro. With vision and conviction, the Chase’s endeavored to completely redevelop and repurpose what was said to be the largest commercial building in downtown Brattleboro. Even though this historic circa 1871 Victorian hotel had been shuttered for 10 years, it became a thriving mixed-use commercial enterprise with over 50 modern apartments, 14 retail stores and restaurants and offices and was placed of the State and National Register of Historic Places. For the next forty plus years, Norma remained involved with the Brooks House while her son Jonathan Chase managed it until selling to local investors in 2013 after a devastating 2011 fire.

A lifelong antique collector, Norma became an antique dealer and operated Brooks House Antiques for a number of years. She specialized in estate jewelry and its redesign. Norma loved antiques, and the most gratifying aspects of this business were her interactions and friendships with other antique dealers and many customers.

For over seven decades Norma relished playing her baby grand Steinway. She was exuberant about all her endeavors and cherished spending time with family and friends. During her 32 years of marriage to Norman, Norma would often say a highlight was travelling the world together.

Her marriage ended in 1981 and Norma returned to her Nutmeg State of Connecticut to care for her aging parents. In 1985 and over the next 20 years, Norma was remarried to Bernie Cantor and they resided in Ellington, CT. Norma continued her entrepreneurial pursuits including developing rural properties left to her by her beloved father, Harry Liebman, a long-time commercial tobacco and potato farmer. Norma and Bernie were “snowbirds”, spending their winters on the southeastern Florida coast. Every Spring they looked forward to returning north to Connecticut where Norma’s heart and many memories resided. In 2005 Norma’s twenty-year marriage with Bernie ended in divorce. In her later years she relocated full-time to her home in South Florida.

Norma rose above many challenges in her life. She was born during one of our country’s most challenging times, the Great Depression of 1929. At the age of 90 she was diagnosed with an aggressive likely life-ending cancer and opted for intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments which miraculously were successful. During her early months of recovery from these treatments, another formidable challenge presented itself to Norma and the world, the Covid-19 pandemic. Always the eternal optimist, Norma would be the first one to tell you how blessed a life she had. Even with all her challenges, she always found a way to overcome adversity. When Norma knew her life was nearing its end, she would say she looked forward to being back home with her loving family out in the countryside overlooking the farmland. With a beautiful and peaceful smile on her face, she died of natural causes in her sleep.

Norma leaves her three children, Susan Chase Wasserman (Earl) of Atlanta, GA, Jonathan Chase of Aventura, FL and South Windsor, CT and Lawrence Chase of Tampa, FL, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren all of Atlanta, GA, and two close cousins, Sidney Becker of Hallandale Beach, FL and Karen Aspinwall of Palo Alto, CA.

An intimate graveside service was held on February 12, 2021, conducted by Norma’s dear friend B. Leena Newcomb. In honor of Norma and her generous spirit, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

Rest easy beautiful woman, cherished mother, wife, daughter, grandmother, great grandmother, cousin, friend. Your gentle lyrical voice, easy smile, and vibrant blue eyes are dearly missed and will live on in our hearts. May her memory be a blessing.