Obituaries
BETTY JOAN KATZ
Betty Katz passed away peacefully on October 26, 2024, at the age of 94.
She was predeceased by her husband, Melvyn (Mel) and her daughter, Michelle.
Betty is survived by her daughters, Alana (Ted) and Bonnie (Howard); her son, Andy; grandchildren, Jonathan (Leiba) and Jeremy; and great-grandchildren, Louis and Ada.
Betty and Mel were high school sweethearts and married in 1953. Shortly thereafter, they purchased their cherished home on Lanark Street where they lived until after their 60th wedding anniversary. As the children grew older, Betty began a career in property management.
Betty is fondly remembered for her outgoing nature, wit, tenacity, and her great cooking, notably – her signature dish – Spaghetti a la Betty Katz.
Thank you to the staff at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre where Betty received excellent care for the last eight years. Betty enjoyed the recreational activities and every opportunity to sit outdoors and at the sunny windows. Despite living with dementia, she was heard singing the words to “oldies” whenever there was an opportunity.
Thank you to Rabbi Matthew Leibl for leading a beautiful funeral service in Betty’s honour at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on October 28, 2024.
Obituaries
RICHARD MICHAEL RICE February 8, 1947 – November 30, 2024
On Saturday, November 30, Richard Michael Rice, only son of Edward and Celia Rice passed away with his family by his side.
Dad leaves behind his best friend, the love of his life, and his wife of 55 years, Melissa (née Malchy). Richard and Melissa met as children, fell in love as teenagers, and spent every second since then deeply and madly in love.
Dad also leaves behind six children, the oldest three of whom he welcomed and loved as his own after the early passing of his sister and her husband, Glorianne and Gerald Robinovitch. Jennifer (David), Stephen (Rachel), and Hart (Ronee) Robinovitch; Danielle (Kevin), Aimee (Chris), and Brynn (Jordan) Rice idolized, looked up to him, and relied on his sage advice. Mostly though, we appreciated his wicked sense of humour, his gorgeously rich anecdotes, and the deep rumble of his voice during lullabies and bedtime stories.
Richard set high standards for himself, whether in work, education, his friendships, travel, or his many hobbies (from horseback riding to biking to golf to watching sports), which all in the family tried to emulate. All of his grandchildren (Molly, Edward, Leo, Celia, Jordan, Sydney, Gabrielle, Kaila, Sydney, Ari, Matthew, and Noah) looked up to him with love and respect and each seemed to bring out different sides of his playful nature, humour, curiosities, and strong mentoring abilities. Always interested in what each was accomplishing and personally passionate about, he gave endless support and let them know how much he truly cared about the unique paths they were taking. He was also extremely fond of the family’s English Springer Spaniels (Mac, Cooper, Maggie, Baxter, and Holly), providing endless opportunities for him to show his gentle love and leadership.
Dad was ridiculously proud of his children and their achievements, and being able to see his grandchildren grow up to engage with him in debates and bring him new ideas was a source of great joy. And the feeling is more than mutual. Dad has always provided us with a strong example of how to live a life well lived and often served as a guide as we faced challenges and decisions.
In addition to pursuing a PhD in Anthropology at Brown University, Dad was a successful and accomplished lawyer, but to him, that wasn’t as important as his role as head of the Rice family. He held deep regard for his relationships with his beloved sister Tama Werner and his sister-in- law, Naneve Hawke (Michael).
Despite 80-hour work weeks, dad always made time for family. From family dinners to coaching sports teams, to sharing videos he thought were funny, to watching movies, including one of his favourites, The Princess Bride, to taking us to Kelekis, dad was always present. Summers at the family cottage on Lake Winnipeg in Gimli provided the ideal setting for the family to spend time together and for him and Melissa totake the kids and grandchildren for long walks down the beach or to the pier for ice cream.
We – and dad- are grateful for the friends who continued to support him throughout his illness, to Rabbi Matthew Leibl for encouraging dad to reconnect with his faith, and to the entire care teams at Deer Lodge’s PRIME Program, Simkin Centre, and Victoria Hospital.
Dad always managed to find delight in every situation. Even the worst experience magically transformed through his voice into a humorous story. Dad would be laughing so hard at his own joke that we would have to wait for him to finish laughing before he could conclude his tale.
He would not want us to mourn. He would want us to hold our loved ones a little closer, find the joy and wonder in small things, and remember him with love and humour.
As you wish, dad. As you wish.
Obituaries
NINA CHISVIN June 6, 1932 – November 24, 2024
After a full life well-lived, Nina Chisvin (née Globerman) passed away peacefully at the age of 92.Predeceased
by her beloved parents, Maishel and Raichel Globerman, her siblings and
their spouses, Morley and Dintzie Globerman, Esther and Irv Nisenholt,
Abe and Naomi Globerman. Left to mourn are her cherished husband Allan,
her children, Ellen Thompson, Sorel Friedman (Avi), and David Thompson
(Susan). Joining in their profound grief are her grandchildren, Paloma
and Ben Friedman, Corey Glasberg, and Piper and Belle Riley Thompson
(Michaela). Many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends are also bereft.
Also mourning her loss are Allan’s children, grandchildren, and
great-grandchildren, whom she loved as her own.Funeral services were held Tuesday, November 26 at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Obituaries
LAWRENCE WERIER
Lawrence Werier passed away at home in Winnipeg on Wednesday, November 6 at the age of 98.
We thought he might live to 100, but it was not to be. Even though he was diminished by dementia in recent years, he still sparkled with an indomitable spirit that could not be missed, whether he was dancing with his many beloved caregivers or sitting quietly with his wife or children. He brought an intense energy to everything he accomplished, such as building a business, making a sale, playing tennis or scuba diving in some remote location.
His work at Goldin and Company was both challenging and joyful, and his entrepreneurial creativity brought him to Asia regularly, where he had close friends in Hong Kong and Taiwan. He married Eddy in 1949, and she remained the love of his life. They traveled the world together on many exotic trips, and in each place he would seek out adventure and fun. He was a force of life and an energetic presence who kept working and living and devouring experiences, always insisting that “the cup is half full.”
Many remember Lawrence as a great storyteller because he could never resist the impulse to share his exciting escapades with others. He didn’t retire until the age of 83, and even after formally ending his business, he continued to wheel and deal from home. In all of these passionate endeavors, he always had time for his children and grandchildren when they came to visit. His love of family was profound, and he demonstrated this love by generously bringing everyone together—children, spouses, grandchildren and Eddy—at treasured family gatherings in Costa Rica, St. Lucia and Mexico.
In recent days, people have reacted almost with astonishment that Lawrence has passed away, as if such a powerful energy might continue. We feel his loss deeply, along with his many friends in Winnipeg and beyond.
Lawrence is survived by his wife, Eddy, and his children, Kerry, Cliff and Jodie, and their spouses, Suzanne, Sabrina, and Michael. He is missed by his two granddaughters, Cynthia (her partner, Matt) and Alex. Lawrence was predeceased by his beloved grandson Koby. Lawrence had many wonderful caregivers at “the Shafts,” too numerous to mention, but Tess Braun was his special friend and honorary daughter, to whom the family is grateful beyond words. Tess, Chris, Mavis, Jonathon and Jules made him comfortable in his final days, and we extend thanks to them all.
Donations in his memory can be made to Shalom Residences (shalomresidences.com).