Harriet Reiss Obituary (1934 - 2022)

On July 18th, Harriet Reiss passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones. She is survived by her husband, Ira Reiss and their three children, David Reiss (Sue), Pam Russ (Brian) and Joel Reiss (Shira); and her six grandchildren. She was a woman with many talents, but what everyone valued the most was her warm and welcoming nature. Harriet was oriented to others much more than to herself, and exuded her love and compassion to not only family, but everyone around her. Her art won many awards, and displayed her desire to help those who were being damaged by our cultural biases. She wrote a book about her life and the story of her parents and relatives who all came to America and Canada to escape the pogroms of antisemitism in Europe. The book also highlights issues of social justice and equality that exist in our world today. Throughout her life, Harriet advocated for those who were victims of our world’s prejudices. In addition to writing her own book, she was also her husband’s editor on all of his books. Harriet was the magnet that held her family together. In all these ways, she was a lady for the ages and a model for others who sought a better, more caring world. Her family encourages everyone to try and emulate Harriet’s kindness and contribute to a more just and peaceful world.