Friends, family, to celebrate Lois Lilienstein’s life

As one third of Sharon, Lois & Bram, Summerhill resident Lois Lilienstein was an indelible fixture in the childhood of many midtown residents — few more so than Randi Hampson, daughter of Sharon and co-organizer of a public celebration for the late singer to be held on Sept. 26.

“Lois helped take care of my son when he was a baby, and her son is one of my closest and oldest friends from when we were three,” the younger Hampson reminisces. “In my house it was always Bubbe (grandma Sharon), Auntie Lois, and Bram.”

Lilienstein passed away from cancer on April 22 at the age of 78.

“There was a private memorial for Lois, but … her son and partners and the people close to her really wanted the greater public to have a chance to be part of something too,” Hampson said.

Hosted by Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison, the Sept. 26 event will include stories about Lilienstein, punctuated by personal photos and videos, and songs including Sharon, Lois & Bram favourites “One Elephant” and “Skinnamarink.”

As Lilienstein was an enthusiastic baker, brownies prepared using her personal recipe will also be on hand.

The Sept. 26 celebration will begin at 7 p.m. at downtown’s St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Tickets can be purchased online at www.stlc.com for $25 each, though at press time Hampson estimated there were only about 20 left.

Unfortunately for many Sharon, Lois & Bram fans, the event is being held at the St. Lawrence Centre’s 497-seat Jane Mallett Theatre, rather than the Bluma Appel Theatre, which seats 868.

“My mother was anxious about filling a 900-seat hall,” Hampson explains. “Obviously she needn’t have worried.”