Martha Cohen

Born 1920; died Feb. 26, 2015

Occupation: Social worker, community builder, philanthropist.

Contribution: The granddaughter of the first Jewish family to settle in Calgary, Martha Cohen founded Calgary’s Jewish Family Service and was its executive director and only social worker. Legendary in the arts community, she worked 10 years to raise $15 million for the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts. She was the first woman to sit as head of an Alberta educational institution, chairing Mount Royal College Board of Governors. She received the Order of Canada and a Prime Minister’s Medal from the state of Israel. The Martha Cohen Theatre is named for her.

Quote: “She is quite soft-spoken and genteel, but ... she was able to succeed in these big undertakings because it was clear to decision-makers that this woman wasn’t going to back off,” said Douglas Lauchlan, former MRC president.