Obituaries
ARNOLD AUBREY PORTIGAL
It is with great sadness the Portigal Family announces the passing, on January 4, 2015, of Arnold Aubrey Portigal, 86 years old.
Arnold was born on March 9, 1928 in Winnipeg, Canada, the only child of Samuel and Genevieve Portigal. He was married for 57 years to his wife Elodee, whom he met in 1958 on a blind date in Los Angeles, California and married three months later. They had two children, Blair Portigal and Leslie Portigal Folz. Leslie sadly passed several years ago following her battle with ovarian cancer.
Arnold was a self-educated man, a man of purpose, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, humanitarian, truly a Renaissance man. In 1963 he sold his commercial finance organization to Walter E Heller International and became President of Walter E Heller Canada, Ltd. During the following five years he developed Heller’s Consumer Finance Facilities throughout Canada. He then left the Heller Organization to again establish his own commercial real estate private equity firm.
Arnold was a passionate advocate of the Jewish community in both Winnipeg and Phoenix and for the State of Israel. He was Deputy Director of the United Israel Appeal, sitting on boards in both Israel and and Canada. He initiated and chaired Project Canada whose sole purpose was to provide immigrant housing to answer the acute need of Russian Jews fleeing to Israel. In 1974 he was awarded by the United Israel Appeal and State of Israel Bonds, receiving the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanity Award. He travelled extensively to Israel during the 1960’s and 1970’s to meet with the likes of Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan and David Ben-Gurion.
In both Canada and The United States, Arnold was deeply involved in community activities which included many political appointments. In Winnipeg he was appointed to the Board of Victoria General Hospital and became Chairman of the Board. During his eight year tenure he completed ground breaking improvements at the hospital. Arnold was then appointed by the Premier of Manitoba and MInister of Health to assume the Post of Chairman of the Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation as well as the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology. During his long tenure he negotiated clinical trials of drugs developed by the institute with major US pharmaceutical companies.
When Arnold moved full time to Phoenix, Arizona, he was appointed National Treasurer of the American Cancer Foundation until early 2002 when he decided to step down after determining he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
We are reminded of Dylan Thomas’s words, “Do not go gently into that good night, rage, rage, against the dying of light…” Arnold, like these words, carried with him the quality of spirit and soul that took him fighting until the very end. He will be greatly missed. HIs spirit will forever remain with us.
He is survived by his wife Elodee, son Blair and grandchildren Sydney and Alexa Portigal and Joshua Folz.
Obituaries
DONALD (DON) BASS

1938-2025
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Donald (Don) Bass on May 14, 2025.
Don is survived by his partner of 25 years Darlene, children, Eileen Fortin (Tim) and Hartley Bass, stepchildren Pyper (Jesse) and Palmer and sister Lynda. He was also a beloved grandfather to Kelsey and Taylor and Zaidie to Rooney and Lux.
Don was predeceased by his parents Abe and Gloria Bass and by his son Jonathon.
Don was born in Fort William, Ontario in 1938. He came to Winnipeg to attend university but ultimately made his mark operating Dutchmaid Ice Cream, including manufacturing ice cream for dairies across Western Canada gaining him the title of “Emperor of Ice Cream”.
During and after operating Dutchmaid, Don also managed rental properties in and around the Osborne Village.
Don was more than an entrepreneur and an astute businessman; he was a man of decency, generosity, integrity and compassion. He treated everyone he met with respect, offering help in any way he could.
Don was also known for his sarcasm and sense of humour earning him the added title of “Real Character”.
Don loved family, he loved people, and he loved his annual trips to South Florida.
Funeral and burial were held on May 20 at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery with the Meal of Condolence at Temple Shalom.
Donations can be made to the General Fund at Temple Shalom or to the Gloria and Abe Bass Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
May Don’s memory be a blessing.
Obituaries
Clarice Yentel Shell (Marantz) May 7, 1927 – May 13, 2025

Surrounded by family, our beloved Mom and Baba said goodbye at age 98. She is survived by her son Barry, and daughters Miriam and Ruth, her daughter-in-law Dorinda Neave, grandchildren Davina and Sam (Elisha) and great grandchildren, Benjamin and Rose.
Clarice, known as “Cal” was the last of her generation to leave us. She was predeceased by her parents Joe and Razel Marantz, brothers Chip (Shirley) and Basie (Shirley) and her brothers and sisters-in-law in the Shell family, Hymie (Kay), Pauline (Sam Zinman ) and Bill (Ruth). She was also predeceased by her loving husband of 54 years, Ben Shell and her son in law, Harry Sumner.
Born in Winnipeg, Cal was a trail blazer her entire life. She had numerous volunteer and professional achievements. One of her legacies was her ground breaking research to earn her Masters degree in Social Work in 1966. This led to Cal joining the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba where she made enduring changes to the core curriculum during her 15-year career.
Alongside her enormous contributions to the community, Cal was devoted to her large extended family. This was evidenced by her attendance at the weekly zooms and every major family event including her last visit to Winnipeg at age 97 for a very special Bat Mitzvah. She was a role model, a mentor, and a confidant to many. A skilled listener, Cal had an uncanny way of engaging others. She spoke her truth, helping to make changes and get things done. Cal knew the names and relations of the entire Shell and Marantz extended families and instead of counting sheep, she would often lie there recalling every single name, in every generation, all around the world, until she fell asleep. Her commitment to staying connected will always be remembered as one of her finest gifts.
In 2015, at age 88 Cal moved to Vancouver to be closer to her immediate family members. We thank the amazing staff and her friends at Legacy Senior Living who helped make the last 10 years of mom‘s life rich and full. We would also like to thank Dr. Alex Lecky for his years of excellent care, Colleen Riley and the gifted medical team at Vancouver General Hospital, who made her comfortable in her last days.
Cal was a remarkable person who lived a remarkable life. She will be dearly missed by the many people whose lives she touched.
Donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba, of which she was a founding member, or the Cal Shell‘s Endowment Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. More details about Cal’s life can be found on her Book of Life page
https://bookoflife.jewishfoundation.org/ebol-donors/clarice-cal-shell
Obituaries
LOUIS COLISH FEBRUARY 15, 1945 – APRIL 23, 2025

With great sadness, we announce the unexpected passing of Louis Colish at the Health Sciences Centre, surrounded by friends. He was predeceased by his parents, William (Bill) and Bessie, whom he deeply cherished. Loui considered his father to be his best friend and he was a devoted caregiver to his mother in her later years.
Born in Winnipeg on February 15, 1945, Louis grew up in Garden City. He had a long and fulfilling career as a Reference Librarian at the West Kildonan Library, where he assisted countless patrons with their questions. Even in retirement, people he would meet often recognized him as “the librarian”.
Louis cherished his relationships with his family and friends. Those who had the privilege of knowing him described him as incredibly friendly, one of their favourite people, and simply the nicest guy.
A lifelong learner, Louis treasured his extensive book collection, with a particular love for astronomy and the works of Carl Sagan. He delighted in sharing stories of his travels to Europe, Hawaii, Arizona, Disney World, and his most cherished destination, Israel. He also enjoyed attending his bowling league, the Rady JCC’s senior program, and the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre. He loved music from the 1940s and 50s and delighted in performing his favourite tunes in talent shows at the Rady JCC and Gwen Secter programs.
Louis was a devoted member of the Rosh Pina and Etz Chayim synagogues. Fellow congregants fondly remember his passionate and dramatic chanting of the Prayer for Peace from the bimah—a heartfelt expression of his deep hope for a peaceful world.
A graveside service was held on April 25, 2025, at Rosh Pina Memorial Park.
Louis was a kind and generous soul who will be missed but never forgotten.
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