Obituaries
ABRAHAM (ABE) SIMKIN
Peacefully, with dignity, and his family by his side, Abe Simkin passed away at Del Mar, California on July 22, 2020 at the age of 98.
Abe was predeceased by his wife Fan Simkin, his parents, Fanny and Samuel Simkin, his siblings and their spouses, Jen and Sam Cohen, Clara and Joe Erlichman, Jim and Lil Simkin, Saul and Claribel Simkin , and Blackie and Jean Simkin, his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Sam and Leah Rosenberg, Max Rosenberg, Becky and Harry Rosenberg, and Becky and Irv Ruvinsky, and his daughter-in-law Kathryn Simkin.
He is survived and will forever be missed by his dear children, Gary , Bernie (Carey) and Murray, his ten grandchildren, Jennifer (Mathew) Kostrinsky, Jory (Joelly) Simkin, Farrah (Ryan) O’Colman, Adam Simkin, Sam (Rachel) Simkin, Ryan (Alli) Simkin, Gayl (Jacob) Szmuilowicz, Erin (Josh) Allen, Jordan (Sarah) Simkin, Carli (Jason) Kirkorsky, and fifteen great-grandchildren, Hank and David Kostrinsky, Zane, Emmett, Shae and Mattea Simkin, Jonah, Penina and Vered Simkin, Brady, Finley, Cody and Kyla Simkin, and Joey and Lulu Simkin, his brother-in law and sisters-in law, Mickey and Pearl Rosenberg, Annette Rosenberg, and Myna Simkin, and his many nieces and nephews in the Simkin and Rosenberg families.
The funeral was conducted at Rosh Pina Memorial Park in Winnipeg on July 27th, 2020. Pallbearers were Mickey Rosenberg, Joel Dudeck, Simon Simkin, Jory Simkin, Zane Simkin, and Emmett Simkin. Honorary Pallbearers were Mickey Rosenberg, Jerry Cohen, Martin Erlichman, and Frank Lavitt.
Abe’s vitality and exceptional abilities will be missed throughout the Winnipeg, Palm Springs and San Diego communities. He served his communities as a lawyer, businessman, community builder, and philanthropist. His business interests were extensive and varied and included housing construction and land development, nursing homes, pre-school day-care facilities, book printing, and financial, transportation, automotive, health care and communication services and support. His contributions to the Jewish community in Winnipeg and abroad have been honored by many. Abe’s philanthropic activities extended to local, national, and Israeli charities. He was a director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Theatre Center, and the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews.
Abe’s greatest joy in life was family and friends. He was a devoted husband to his wife Fan for 63 years, and a remarkably loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and father figure to an extended family.
He selflessly devoted himself to helping many people and genuinely cared for their well-being. His enthusiasm knew no bounds and he was an inspiration to all who knew him. His passions were family, music, politics, philanthropy and the law.
He is loved and will be remembered always by his family and friends for his tireless energy, his good humour, his generosity, his upbeat personality, his modesty, and for the care and kindness he showed to everyone. The family is forever grateful to have had him in our lives. Through his unconditional love, and irresistible spirit he became a wonderful role model to all his friends and family and was admired and respected by everyone who met him. His loving presence will endure in the hearts of his family and friends forever.
The family thanks Sergio Ong and his family for their care and support. Donations may be made to the Jewish Educational Trust Fund – Abe & Fan Simkin, at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, or the charity of your choice.
Obituaries
SALLY ANN NARR
Sally Ann Narr, born September 5, 1935, passed away peacefully on February 10, 2025, at the age of 89.
Sally was born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, and attended William Whyte school and later St. John’s Tech. At 18 years old, Sally bravely made the decision to leave her family and friends in Winnipeg, and head to Los Angeles, California where she hoped to pursue a career in Hollywood. After arriving in LA, Sally got a job working at Farmer’s Insurance, until she landed her dream job at Capitol Records at Hollywood and Vine.
Sally absolutely loved her job at Capitol Records and often found herself partying with some of the most famous celebrities.
At a New Year’s Eve party in 1958, Sally met the love of her life, Frank, and they were married the following year on December 12, 1959. Sally and Frank were married for 65 years and were overjoyed when they welcomed their daughter, Heather on October 1, 1965. It was in 1969, some years after the Watts Riot in LA that Sally and Frank made the decision to leave LA and return to Winnipeg to raise their daughter. Once back in Winnipeg, Sally and Frank resided in the West Kildonan area for 43 years until they bought a condo and moved to the south end of the city to be close to their daughter and grandchildren.
Sally lived a full and rich life. Some of her fondest memories were going on a Caribbean cruise for hers and Frank’s 50th wedding anniversary with her family, going to Hawaii for her 80th birthday, and attending her granddaughter’s wedding in 2019. Beyond all of this, Sally’s greatest joy in life was when her two grandchildren were born. She was overjoyed to become a grandmother and said it was the best job in the world.
It was shortly after the arrival of her first great-granddaughter in 2022 that Sally became a resident of the Simkin Centre, a place she would call home for almost three years until her passing. The staff treated her with the utmost care and respect and helped guide her family through her battle with Alzheimers and in the last few months of her life, cancer.
Sally’s quality of life would not have been what it was if it was not for her devoted caregiver, Oxana. From 2020 to 2025, Oxana provided wonderful care for Sally through her compassion and dedication and love for both Sally and Frank. There are not enough ways to thank Oxana for everything she did for Sally and her entire family over their five years together.
Sally was predeceased by her parents, Ann and Nicholas Dutkevich and is survived by her husband, Frank Narr, her daughter Heather Cantor (Ed), granddaughter, Lexi Cantor (Dan Robillard), her grandson Ryan Cantor, great-granddaughters, Parker and Blake and her brother Joey Dutkevich (Karen).
The family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer Association or the Simkin Centre in honour of Sally.
Obituaries
DR. ROBERT CORNE
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Robert Corne on February 5, 2025.
Dr. Corne was married to Irene (née Genser), for 66 years; father of Lesley Corne Wolman, (spouse-Jeff Wolman), Janet Corne, (spouse-Michael Katz), Maureen Slama, (spouse-Avi Slama), and Eric Corne, (spouse-Aimee Corne).
Grandfather of Ariel Slama, Yale Wolman (spouse-Ashlie Sapiro), Serena Wolman, Liav Slama, Neeve Slama, Ira Corne and Lilly Corne.
Born in 1936 in Winnipeg, Robert was the only child Hy and Yhetta Corne. He attended both River Heights Elementary School and Kelvin High School. He entered University of Manitoba Medical School at the age of 18, winning the Ibsen scholarship. He married Irene Genser in 1958.
In 1960, Robert, Irene, and daughter Lesley, moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where Robert was a Fellow in Internal Medicine (1960-63) and a Fellow in Cardiology (1963-64) at the Mayo Clinic. Robert’s research interest was in cardiac pathology and in 1964 he received a Master’s in Science from the University of Minnesota. In1964 the young family, now including daughters, Janet and Maureen, moved to San Francisco where Robert spent a year at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco. Robert became a fellow of Royal College of Physicians of Canada, a Diplomat of American Board of Internal Medicine, and a Diplomat of the American Board of Cardiology.
The family returned to Winnipeg in 1965 and Robert joined his uncle, Dr. Norman Corne and Dr. Mossy Lehmann in private practice for three years. In 1968, he joined the Faculty of Medicine in the department of Cardiology at University of Manitoba. For several years he worked with Dr. Frank Matthewson in a natural history study of cardiac disease in Canadian Air Force pilots whom they followed for over 30 years. Robert also pursued a special interest in heart disease in women.
In 1977 Robert was appointed as The Lady Davis Professor of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the family, now including son, Eric, moved to Israel for the year. where Robert opened the department of Nuclear Cardiology at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. He was privileged to take part in the first heart scan in Israel and participated in a cardiac evaluation of Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
The Corne family returned to Winnipeg in 1978, and Robert became the co-Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Director of Cardiac Ambulatory Care at Health Sciences Center. Teaching was an exciting and rewarding part of his academic life, and he became a full Professor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. His research has been published in both the American Heart Journal and The American Journal of Cardiology.
Robert’s volunteer commitments included a seat on the Board of the Winnipeg Chapter of Hebrew University and was instrumental in launching the Academic Affairs Initiative. He was the Governor of the Prairie Provinces of American College of Cardiology, a councilor of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, and a Member of the Council on Clinical Cardiology of the American Heart Association.
Despite his overwhelmingly numerous academic and professional achievements, he would say that his greatest accomplishment was his family: his four children and their spouses, eight grandchildren and sixty-six-year marriage to his beloved wife, Irene. He was a loving and caring husband, an exceptionally devoted father and an interested and involved grandfather who shared a unique relationship with each of his children and grandchildren. He was a loyal friend to many and a trusted colleague to all who worked alongside him.
Obituaries
EARL (ARIE) PERLMUTTER

We are saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and cousin Arie Perlmutter at the age of 77. Arie died peacefully after a brief but difficult struggle with cancer on April 12, 2025.
He was predeceased by his parents, Hymie and Thelma and by his beloved sister Sheila.
Arie developed and maintained many close friends throughout his life. He attended St. John’s High in the 60s and kept in touch with many of his classmates. He began his working life as a delivery driver for City Bread. This was followed by a career of over 20 years at Advance Electronics, where he was a well-respected and expert sales associate. He hung out at North End Sals, for virtually his entire life, discussing (arguing? kibitzing?) with many people too numerous to name, the issues of the day but especially about sports, and most especially about baseball.
In his retired life, he was a member of Larters Golf Club, golfing with much enthusiasm and passion, if not prowess. Arie donated to and volunteered at the Winnipeg Humane Society for many years.
His family and friends would like to thank the staff at the St. Boniface Hospital whose compassionate and caring attention to Arie in his final days was truly a great comfort to him.
In keeping with Arie’s wishes, cremation has taken place and no funeral will be held.
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