Alice Turtledove Meyer, z”l, passed away July 19, 2022. Alice is survived by her children, David, Sarah and Andrea Meyer; and grandchildren, Eliana and Naomi Meyer.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Paul R. Meyer, z”l, and brother, Harry L. Turtledove, z”l.
The day after her passing, the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education sent out a tribute that noted:
Yesterday our community lost a true woman of valor. Alice Turtledove Meyer was a native Oregonian, born Aug. 23, 1929, in Portland. She lived a life of community building and fierce activism. Numerous organizations benefited from her tireless and dedicated volunteerism.
Perhaps – and unequivocally from our vantage point – Alice’s crowning achievement began in 1989 when she and Rabbi Joshua Stampfer worked together to found the Oregon Jewish Museum. Alice served as the first president and chaired numerous committees over the years. As a chair of the exhibition committee, Alice spearheaded the museum’s first major exhibition, “Echoes: A Century Survey,” the work of Arnold Mesches. Three years running, Alice chaired the Gala dinner and art auction. Alice was also active in the Oregon Jewish Historical Society and eventually served on the board of the Oregon Holocaust Resource Center, which merged with the Oregon Jewish Museum in 2014. Alice’s consummate chairing of the committee overseeing the publication of Ellen Eisenberg’s landmark history of Oregon Jewry from 1950 to the present followed in 2016. Alice guided the committee through a complicated process to commission and oversee the writing of the manuscript. Before the pandemic, Alice volunteered at the museum with Eve Rosenfeld to work on the Beth Israel records in our archives.
Alice held a deep and profound commitment to social justice. …
Visionary leadership, passionate and thoughtful political outlook, steadfast and intelligent values, and impressive editorial skills led Alice to apply herself to her priorities and then, almost invariably, to accomplish her objectives. The museum’s reading room bears Alice’s name. Given her curiosity and ceaseless intellectual fervor, it is especially fitting that her memory will shine brightly in a place of study.
A celebration of life will be held at 3 pm, Aug. 7, in the main sanctuary at Congregation Beth Israel. Guests are welcome to attend in person or via livestream on the Congregation Beth Israel website.
Donations in Alice’s memory can be made to the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education or Indivisible Civics.