Olivia Delvin Toubman

Olivia Delvin Toubman died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, May 28 at her home at Hunter’s Pointe in Helena, Montana. She was 99. She was born in Woodstock, Connecticut on March 16, 1921 to Ethel and Leon Isaac Silberberg. She was the middle of five children, Julia, Josephine, Olivia, Ethel and George. All five children learned musical instruments at an early age and all five received scholarships to the Longy School of music in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The four girls formed the Silberberg String Quartette and performed in the Worcester and Boston Massachusetts area. Olivia received her soloist diploma from Longy in 1942 and went on to become a professional cellist. She was a member of the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Oklahoma Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, and various chamber music groups, and also performed as a free lance musician. She married Raymond Toubman, an oboist, in February, 1943, and they were happily married for 66 years. They had two children, Sara and Karl. Besides music, Olivia loved to sew and took up oil and watercolor painting in retirement. She and Ray loved to go for walks, especially on the beaches in Oregon, where they retired in 1985. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond, her sisters, Julia (Arthur) Cohen, Josephine (Walter) Bonner, Ethel Oldfield, and brother, George (Priscilla) Silberberg. She is survived by her children, Sara (Cedron Jones), Helena, Montana and Karl (Katherine Pomeroy) Kapa’au, Hawaii and sister-in-law, Priscilla Silberberg. She has two grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was loved by all. She was a sweet, gentle and kind person and will be missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the symphony orchestra, art museum or library of your choice. Simple Cremation Montana has assisted the family.