Florence N. (Newfield) Lifland

WILLIAMSPORT - Florence (Fay) Newfield Lifland, 88, died June 21 at Sycamore Manor in Loyalsock, Pennsylvania. Florence Newfield was born August 8, 1920, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, to Murdoch Newfield and Bessie Persky Newfield. After moving to Worcester, Massachusetts, as a teen with her parents and three sisters, she was graduated with high honors from Classical High School and Worcester State Teachers College. She then went to work as a reporter for the Worcester Telegram. Upon marrying Philip Paul Lifland on August 18, 1946, she moved to Woodbury, New Jersey, where she raised their two daughters. When the girls were grown, she went back to reporting, serving as the editor of the education and food sections of the Gloucester County Times. She was also an indefatigable volunteer, serving for many years as a Girl Scout leader and holding various offices in such organizations as the PTA and the Synagogue Sisterhood. When her husband became very ill, she came with him to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where she lived for the past 26 years. In Williamsport, she was active in Temple Beth Ha Sholom, Hadassah, and the Federation of Jewish Charities; she also volunteered at various times with the James Brown Library, SCORE, the National Organization for Women, and Cochran Elementary School. She loved to travel and was fortunate to be able to visit many parts of North America, Europe, and Asia during her lifetime. She always said that her hobby was sleeping, but in fact she also was an avid reader and mahjongg player. She was the last surviving Newfield sister. She is survived by two daughters, Sally Lifland Butterfield of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Maggie Lifland of Breckenridge, Colorado, as well as four grandchildren: Stacey Butterfield of Philadelphia, Jesse Butterfield of Providence, and Jan and Paul McSparin of Breckenridge. The funeral will take place on June 29 at 1 p.m. at Perlman Funeral Home, 1026 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts. Burial at the Bnai-Brith Cemetery and then a reception at Webster House will follow. A memorial service will be held on July 1 at 11 a.m. at Temple Beth Ha Sholom, 425 Center Street, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, followed by lunch at the Herdic House. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Temple Beth Ha Sholom, Hadassah, or the United Way. Local arrangements are being handled by the Allen & Redmond Funeral Home, 331 Elmira Street, Williamsport, PA 17701.