With deep sadness, we are sorry to announce the passing of Abe Posen, father, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle, on August 10th at the Grace Hospital.
He was three weeks short of his 102nd birthday. Abe was a quiet man with a never-ending sense of humour that paved his way in the world. He was strong on the outside, soft on the inside, full of humility and easily embarrassed if you put the spotlight on him.
Abe was born to Gittel nee Gurarie (Gray) and Mayer Posen in Winnipeg on Sept. 3rd, 1921. During the war he was stationed in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. As his first language was Yiddish he corresponded with his parents in Yiddish and the letters would often arrive with words cut out. Who knew that the RCAF had Yiddish speaking censors? Abe was a dedicated family man who also enjoyed his extended circle of uncles, aunts and cousins.
He grew up in a small 2-bedroom house on Burrows, where his parents took in boarders to help supplement their income. The boarders slept in the dining room behind a curtain. They were teachers from Peretz Shul who had recently arrived from pre-war Europe, or sometimes his cousins who came from the country for extended stays. There’s no doubt it taught him about giving, sharing and reaching out to help people in need.
We loved hearing the stories of his youth filled with characters both Jewish and Gentile and how living in the old North End, was like living in Eastern Europe. His early working career except for a stint as a bike delivery boy, was spent working for the family enterprises such as his uncle Motel’s Whistle bottling plant, later to become Blackwood Beverages and his Uncle Moishe’s (Morris Gray) travel agency.
In 1948, he married our beloved mum Ruth Dvorchik and their first of two sons, Eric came along in 1950. At the same time, Abe began his studies to become a Chartered Accountant and went on to work for the firm Sandell Peltz. He eventually left to work for the Federal Government and ended his career as the Chief Auditor for Special Projects for the Province of Manitoba. Abe also kept a private accountancy business going and his clients consisted mostly of Jewish newcomers who ran grocery stores and small shops. He helped them when they went through financial hardships, by lowering his fee or not charging them.
In his spare time, he was President of the Brandeis Lodge and was a lifelong member of the YMHA serving on the Board of Directors and Governors. His passion was exercising, a habit that started at the ‘Y’ as a teen on Albert Street. He loved weightlifting and competed in the sport. He was also a mentor to younger lifters and loved to teach and encourage them.
Abe had a knack for often winning contests. We thought he had great luck, but when we asked him, “What’s your secret”, he said, “You have to enter!”
He took great pride in his grandchildren’s accomplishments and would ask daily, if there were new photos of Lielle, his one and only great granddaughter in Israel. When you’re lucky enough to have a parent live a long healthy life, despite getting covid three times, their presence can’t help but bring blessings to the family. To feel their love, drink in their wisdom and learn about family history is a joy that was shared by three generations of his family. It hurts to say goodbye, but Abe’s legacy of love, humour and gratitude for life is an ever-present inspiration to us all.
Our thanks to the pallbearers, Ariel Posen, Michel Aziza, Lexie and Ken Zimmer, David Gurvey and Darcy Delbridge, plus our thanks to Abe’s regular home care workers who respected him and gave him the best care they could under trying circumstances, as well as the staff and physicians of 4North at the Grace Hospital. Please donate to the Rady Centre (the ‘Y’) or the charity of your choice.