Obituaries
ARNOLD FRIEMAN
Arnold Frieman — family man, philanthropist, businessman and Holocaust survivor —died peacefully on Friday, April 6, 2019, surrounded by his family.
Arnold is survived by his adored wife of 58 years, Myra — the love of his life, partner and advocate — and their beloved daughters and their husbands, Nona and Ashley Leibl and Gina and Jea Guertin. He also leaves his cherished grandchildren Marli Leibl and Josh Vickar, Lexi Leibl, Benji Leibl, Mara and Benji Ostrove, Cayli Weinberg and Sara and Warren Gardiner. He was thrilled to welcome into his family his cherished great-grandchildren Emerson and Brooks Vickar and Cameron Ostrove. He also leaves his sister, Elizabeth Samuel, his sister-in-law, Rita Silver, his nieces and nephews and many friends.
Arnold’s family is his legacy — and his revenge against the murderous tyranny of Hitler’s Nazis.
Arnold was born in Hungary in 1928, one of six children in a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish family whose happy life was destroyed by the Holocaust. He went to a Jewish elementary school, but his town lacked a Jewish secondary school and his parents sent him to relatives in Budapest for further education. He was there when he heard that Jews outside Budapest were being rounded up and shipped out of the country. To help save his family, he headed home, but by the time he arrived his family was gone. Everyone — his mother, father, two brothers, three sisters and his maternal grandfather — had been deported to Auschwitz.
As a teenager, alone, Arnold survived an odyssey of flight, capture, forced labour, prisoner-of-war camp and miraculous escape across four countries. After the war he was selected for transfer from a displaced persons’ camp near Bergen-Belsen to Norway, where he received medical care, returned to school and eventually studied electronics. In 1947 he was recruited to fight in the Israeli War of Independence. In the Israeli Air Force he put his electronics training to use and — another miracle —discovered that two of his sisters, Elizabeth and Edith, had survived Auschwitz and were living in the nascent Jewish state. Despite their happy reunion, at the end of 1949 he returned to Norway.
In 1951 Arnold’s desire to see imagined worlds drew him across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada. He was on his way to an arranged job in Windsor, Ont., but on a whim headed for Winnipeg — where he hoped to find the Wild West he had fallen in love with as a child through the movies. He arrived in Winnipeg in May 1951 penniless, alone and knowing four languages, none of them English.
He found a job and new friends, one of whom, Minnie Heft, encouraged him to pursue a university education. He hesitated, fearing that poor English and a lack of money would stand in his way, but he passed the entrance exam. With a $1,000 gift from Mrs. Heft, he was able to start a business to finance his studies: He fixed and re-sold car radios purchased from wrecking yards.
Arnold’s four years at the University of Manitoba were transformative. He had been a wild teenager and young adult, but the university experience stabilized him. Arnold graduated in 1960 with a bachelor of arts degree and a renewed belief in possibilities — as well as the love of Myra Thompson, whom he had met on her 18th birthday at a Hillel House debate he was moderating. Seven months later they were married. Their daughter Nona was born a year later, their daughter Gina 17 months after that.
Persuaded to go into business by Myra, Arnold in 1962 bought a two-person television sales and service shop from which they also sold car radios and the hot new thing — television sets. Within 12 years, the shop had been transformed into Advance Electronics, a multi-million-dollar business with 170 employees. It remains the largest independently owned retail and professional electronics stores in Western Canada.
One of the great joys of Arnold’s success was his ability to give back to the community. He and Myra have supported nearly 50 provincial, national and international organizations and institutions. They range from iconic arts groups, such as the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Manitoba Opera, to small, grassroots causes. Among the beneficiaries of his generosity was the premiere of I Believe, a Holocaust oratorio that helps people everywhere appreciate the importance of peace and justice. He was a devoted supporter of Israel and his many contributions to his alma mater include support for the University of Manitoba-University of Szeged Partnership, which funds exchanges between Hungarian and Manitoban scholars. Arnold’s inclusive style of philanthropy encouraged creativity, kindness and many of the other qualities that he treasured in his adopted home.
Over the years, his achievements have been recognized with numerous honours, most notably his induction into the Order of Manitoba in 2006 and the awarding of an honorary doctor of laws degree in 2018 by the University of Manitoba, which cited him as an exceptional global citizen and builder of his community.
A funeral was held on Monday, April 8, 2019, at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. Arnold’s dear friend Rabbi Alan Green, the former senior rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, returned from Iowa to deliver the eulogy. Burial was at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ashley Leibl, Jea Guertin, Norman Silver, Shane Silver, Michael Silver, Josh Vickar and Benji Ostrove. Honorary pallbearers were Peter Robertson, Robby Olynik, Steve Samuel and Oded Samuel.
Memorial donations may be made to the Jewish National Fund or the Benji Leibl Special Needs Fund through the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
Obituaries
DAVID BLOOMFIELD
Sadly, David Bloomfield passed peacefully on December 19, 2024, age 79.
David was predeceased by his parents, Marion and Phillip Bloomfield, and older brothers, Joel and Auby. David will be deeply missed and mourned by his wife, Sheila, of 56 years, the love of his life, his children, Brenlee (Michael) and Evan (Ellen), as well as cherished grandchildren, Matthew, Aaron, Lainee, and Lauren. David shared close relationships with his younger sisters, Naomi and Judi, and with their husbands, Shmuel and Larry, and with his sister-in-law, Linda. David also enjoyed meaningful relationships with each of his nieces and nephews.
David was born on January 20, 1945, and grew up in Winnipeg’s North End. He enjoyed many summers at his grandmother’s cottage in Winnipeg Beach, the place he first met Sheila. His love of the outdoors and beach life continued throughout his life.
David was proud of the varied jobs he held and businesses he created across his life. He opted for early retirement from Air Canada choosing to become an independent business owner, purchasing, developing, and operating three Subway restaurants. In later years he bought and sold RV trailers and was always the consummate deal maker.
Throughout his life, David was very involved in his community. He was a very active member of multiple synagogue boards and committees across several decades, later became an active member of his condo board, and ultimately continued to share his opinions and ideas as a resident of both the Courtyards and the Simkin Centre.
David enjoyed his down time and valued his relationships with family and friends. He loved simple things, like Sunday drives with Sheila. He relished weekly lunch and regular casino dates with Auby and enjoyed travelling with Sheila and his siblings and their spouses. David and Sheila enjoyed many holiday meals at Brenlee and Michael’s home over the years and made wonderful memories at Evan and Ellen’s Loni Beach cottage. Early retirement allowed David significant opportunity for travel, especially on cruises with Sheila, in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe. David owned various travel trailers over 30 plus years and enjoyed winters RVing in Texas and local “Good Sam Club” campground meet ups. He introduced his children to RVing in the 1980s, and later shared his love for RVing with his grandchildren.
Huge thanks to David’s sister Judi Fielding, and brother-in-law, Larry Fielding, who provided David significant support, and significantly improved his quality of life in the final few years. Thank you to staff of Simkin Centre who provided excellent care of David during his final year. For those who choose, donations can be made to the Simkin Centre or Jewish Child and Family Services. Further details: e_bloomfield@yahoo.ca
Obituaries
ANNETTE FREDA MINUK (NEE MASSIE) June 25, 1924 – December 21, 2024
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mother who left us peacefully on December 21, 2024 at the age of 100. She was laid to rest beside her late husband Harry at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. Pallbears attending were Kevin Minuk, Blake Minuk, Hayley Trenholm, Doug West, Simmie Globerman and Keith Levit.
Annette is survived by her children, Arlene West (Doug), Sheldon (Shoshana), Jeffrey (Harriet); grandchildren Kimberley (Chris) Kevin (Simmie), Blake (Chelsea), Hayley (Chris) and Harel; her great grandchildren Kyler, Krewyn, Charlotte, Annie, Lachlan and sister in law Yetta Levit. She was predeceased by her husband Harry, her parents Rebecca and Dalton, her brother Jack Massie, brothers and sisters in law, Max and Clara Zamick, Norman and Molly Lachter, Norman and Goldie Minuk, Evie and Jack Rosenbaum and Jack Levit.
Annette was truly one of a kind. She was a warm and loving person whose kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her.
Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to her family always putting their needs ahead of hers. She was always there for all the kids and grandkids activities over the years. She was present at countless milestones and activities, celebrating every achievement with unwavering pride and joy. Her wisdom and compassion were a guiding light, and she had the extraordinary ability to make everyone feel special, valued and deeply loved. She will be remembered for her generous heart, infectious smile and the countless memories that will forever live in our hearts.
Mom will be missed each and everyday, but now she is with our Dad where she wanted to be.
As we say goodbye, we celebrate her remarkable life and the enduring legacy of love she leaves behind. Her spirit will continue to inspire us, and she will always be cherished and missed.
Obituaries
LOUIS ELFENBAUM March 12, 1936 – December 9, 2024
With great sadness, we announce the passing of Dr. Louis Elfenbaum. Louis was a popular Professor of Kinesiology at California State University, Sacramento. He taught for 38 years and then retired and moved to San Diego, California, with his wife, Elizabeth.
Born in rural Lipton, Saskatchewan, on March 12, 1936, Louis was the youngest of six children of Abraham and Dora Elfenbaum. With his siblings, Louis braved the harsh Canadian climate to maintain the family farm.
At age 14, Louis moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived with his sister and attended St. John’s High School. In high school, Louis was extremely popular, an excellent student, an accomplished athlete, and was voted school president.
After high school, Louis studied at Manitoba Teachers’ College and began his teaching career. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State College in Minnesota, followed by a Master of Science in Physical Education from the University of North Dakota. He earned his Doctorate in Kinesiology from Ohio State University in 1966. His early professorships were at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M) and prestigious McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In 1970, Louis accepted a full professorship at California State University, Sacramento where he taught Kinesiology for close to four decades. During his tenure as a professor, Louis pursued his interest in law, earning his J.D. degree from Lincoln Law School in 1982.
Louis cared deeply about his students, offering a special lecture about life that attracted students not only from his department, but also from the entire university. He valued intellectual curiosity and fostered that spirit in his students as well as his four children, who have all pursued higher education earning advanced degrees.
Louis had a magnetic personality. He was kind, patient, generous, caring, honest and selfless. Those attributes had a lasting positive impact on everyone he met. He was adored by his family including his children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins, who greatly valued his wisdom, his guidance and his unconditional love.
Louis is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lefcort, (pre-deceased by his ex-wife Esther—d. 2018–and mother of) his four children, Adrian Elfenbaum (JoAnne Winter), Ian Elfenbaum (Susan Adler), Marcia Elfenbaum, Pamela Elfenbaum (David Klein), 2 stepchildren, 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
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