Obituaries
CHANA KEMPNER STERN (Z’L) Feb 15, 1928 – Jun 16, 2022
It brings great sadness to announce the passing of Chana Kempner Stern (Z’L) who was the beloved wife of Max Stern who pre-deceased her. She leaves to mourn her step-son, David Stern, as well as many cousins and friends in Canada, Israel and US. Chana died in Winnipeg on June 16, 2022, and was buried in Israel on June 29, 2022.
She was 94 years old. There will be a celebration of her life event to be held in her honour, with her step-son, David, along with relatives and friends, in Winnipeg next month.
The following obituary was written by Esi and Amy Zion, cousins of Chana’s, from Edmonton, AB:
Chana Kempner Stern nee Shapiro was my grandmother’s cousin and was like an aunt to my mother and a great-aunt to me. Chana and my grandmother grew up together in Suchedniow, Poland; she went to Beit Yakov, a school for girls where she learned to read and write in Yiddish as well as Polish school. Chana was the eldest of three children in her family: Asher and Hershel were named after their zaidas. At age 12, she went to work in Factory Camp B, then A, in the nearby Skarzysko-Kamienna concentration camp on the false promise that it would save the rest of her family. On our last visit together, I recorded her story. She said that in fact, her family was rounded up on Yom Kippur while she was working in the camp, and they were taken to Treblinka. She was spared because she was working and she never saw them again. My grandmother, and my grandmother’s brother, and another cousin, Rochshe, were her only surviving relatives. After liberation, she recalled the cold reception from her fellow Poles who were surprised to see that a Jew had survived and would not let survivors enter the emptied Jewish homes.
Recovering from a lung problem after the war, she was found in a German sanitarium by shlichim who were looking for orphaned survivors to populate kibbutzim. Once she recovered, they went through the Alps into Italy with fake passports bound for Israel. Her boat reached the port of Haifa, but was re-routed by the British to Cyprus. Chana was almost 17 at the time. After about nine months in Cyprus, once the State was declared in ’48, Chana was sent back to the port of Haifa where she was ordered into a tank with the barrel pointed at the sky. They told her to shoot at any enemy airplanes. Thankfully, she recalled, she never had to pull the trigger. In Israel, she learned Hebrew, she met her first husband, her great love, Judah (Yehudah). For many years they lived in Petach Tikvah, where Chana worked as a telephone operator. Chana found a new life in Israel and a new family in Judah.
Judah passed away decades later, but Chana never stopped speaking about what a good and kind person he was. Eventually she got remarried to a Canadian, Max Stern, and relocated to Winnipeg. In Winnipeg she had a wonderful life with Max, found friendship in the large Jewish community where she could speak Yiddish fluently while learning English day by day. They were avid card players. Chana excelled in bridge and enjoyed trips to the casino until the end of her life. She and Max welcomed people into their home like family – she enjoyed constantly entertaining, cooking traditional Jewish food for her guests, and recounting funny stories and memories.
In 2005, Chana was widowed a second time. She continued to have a zest for life in spite of all that she went through. Chana was a loyal and committed friend, and a joyful presence in everyone’s life. A complaint was never uttered from her lips; she always focused on gratitude for the simple pleasures and privileges in life. During Covid, she would list the items in her house that she was thankful for: her TV, her phone, having heat, and enough to eat: “What more could I ask for?” Always on the phone with friends or family, she remained a telephone operator of a different sort, until her last day. Chana was not only our family – she was a dear friend and advisor to my mother and me. She was always interested in our lives, always listened, asked questions, and wanted to know everything. We loved calling her and speaking to her, there were always laughs to be had, and Chana always laughed from the belly.
I remember begging her to get a Covid vaccination, and she only relented when she found out she would otherwise be barred from the casino and the bridge club at Gwen Secter. She was practical to the enth degree. She was the last Holocaust survivor in our family, and the last first-hand witness of the atrocities that took most of our relatives. She was a model in how she not only survived, but lived and flourished in spite of everything. But as she told me when she spoke about the war, regardless of the smile on her face, such pain as losing her family all at once never leaves you, nor the guilt that went with it. “Thank G-d I’m alive – or do I? That is a big question, and some questions cannot be answered.”
We cannot believe she is gone. We will miss our Chana’le dearly. We take solace knowing that her final wish was fulfilled: to be buried beside Judah in the land of Israel that took her in when she had no one.
Obituaries
ROSALYN GOLFMAN (née LINHART)
Rosalyn Golfman (née Linhart) passed away peacefully on November 9, 2025, after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Winnipeg to Jack and Clara Linhart, Roz and her brother Sam grew up with a deep appreciation for education, music, and community. Her father, along with her mother who was an accomplished singer and performer in Jewish plays and on radio, instilled in her a deep appreciation for both hard work and family traditions. The tragedy of the Holocaust, which claimed the majority of her mother’s immediate family, profoundly shaped Rosalyn’s outlook on life, nurturing in her a strong sense of identity, resilience, and commitment to her Jewish heritage.
Growing up in a home filled with music, the aromas of traditional cooking, and the warmth of family celebrations, Roz developed a lifelong connection to her roots. Her devotion to the Jewish community continued throughout her life as she volunteered and chaired various programs at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and served as a member of the National Council of Jewish Women.
Education was one of Rosalyn’s greatest passions. She earned her B.A., M.Ed., a Ph.D. in Psychology, and a Masters in Family Therapy. As a clinical psychologist, Roz worked for 43 years dedicating her career to helping others. Rosalyn also served as President of the Manitoba Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and Chair of its Ethics Committee and taught at various times at the Universities of Manitoba and Winnipeg, and at Red River Community College.
Rosalyn’s greatest devotion was to her husband of more than 60 years, Charles (Chuck) Golfman. Together they traveled the globe and shared a lifetime of love and adventure. Their mutual curiosity led them to explore new places, lectures and forums, always seeking to expand their understanding of people and the world around them. Roz and Chuck raised three children – Jeff (Helen Huang), Lisa (Steve Kroft) and Jill (Mark Kantor). Her grandchildren – Angela, Nathan, Alex and Maya – were her greatest joy, and she cherished every moment spent with them, whether during family dinners, at her beloved Clearwater Bay, or on family trips. Rosalyn’s brother Sam (Judy) was a constant source of support, and the times Roz and Chuck spent with Sam and Judy in Phoenix and Aspen were always highlights for her. Family events with nieces, nephews, her numerous cousins and other relatives were also very special for Roz.
Rosalyn will be remembered for her compassion, intellect and unwavering devotion to family, her friends, and her Jewish faith. The values she instilled in her family will endure through them.
The family wishes to thank the many friends who supported Roz with gentleness, dignity and love. Thank you also to Dr. Marshall Pitz, Kim Paradoski and the caring and talented doctors and caregivers at CancerCare Manitoba and Grace Hospital who assisted Rosalyn and our family during this difficult journey.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rosalyn and Chuck Golfman Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, or to CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.
Obituaries
MARK BERNARD SCHACTER
May 12, 1946 – October 19, 2025
We are sad to announce that Mark Schacter died peacefully in Vancouver on October 19, 2025, at age 79.
He was born in Winnipeg on May 12, 1946, and moved to Vancouver at the age of 22 to seek his fortune, and lived and worked there for the rest of his life, in a number of careers. He was a raconteur, a free spirit, a sports fan, a close observer of current events, and a good friend to many, as far away as Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles. He attended the Canada-Russia hockey series in Moscow in 1972, flew on the Concorde to London, and went to Rio for Carnival on a number of occasions.
He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law Brent Schacter and Sora Ludwig, nieces Miriam Stoller (Michael), Isanne Schacter, and Jennifer Schacter (Neil Rockman), grandnieces Reina and Maddie Stoller, Beatrice Schacter, and Sally Rockman, and grandnephew Jacob Rockman.
He was laid to rest in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery near his parents on October 22, 2025. May his memory be a blessing.
Donations in his memory may be made to Yaletown House (www.yaletown.org) where he resided or to the charity of your choice.
Obituaries
GLORIA GERSHMAN
Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Gloria Beatrice Gershman (née Lipchen), lived 95 remarkable years filled with love, laughter, resilience, generosity, a youthful spirit and a touch of mischief. Gloria passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
She was predeceased by her parents Rose and Nathan Lipchen, her husband George Gershman in 2016 and her grandson Jesse Short-Gershman in 2014. Gloria is survived by her three children: Darryl (Diane), Shelley (David), and Stu (Niki), eight grandchildren: Rachel, Daniel (Yeraldin), Mike (Hannah), Kara, Emily, Ashley (Andy), Max, Zak, and two great-grandchildren Ari and Grayson.
Born in Winnipeg on November 27, 1929, Gloria spent her early childhood in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, before returning to Winnipeg in 1940. Gloria and George married in 1949, residing in Winnipeg until moving to Miami, Florida in 1958 and returning to Winnipeg in 1961.
Gloria attended business college and worked at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and Glendale Golf Course. She volunteered in the community conducting hearing tests for elementary school children.
To our family, Gloria was our biggest supporter, our safe place, our guiding voice, and our example of what it means to be strong, independent, loyal, resilient, and generous. Gloria was known for her wonderful sense of humour and occasional salty language.
Gloria’s talents included sewing, knitting, needle working, cooking, baking, gardening and bowling. The family loved her homemade cookies.
She was devoted to her grandchildren and shared a special and unique relationship with each of them. She adored every moment she spent with Ari and Grayson, who brought her joy in her later years.
Gloria was a regular with the super seniors at the local McDonalds. During the Covid pandemic, she and her friends held “parking lot gatherings” at McDonald’s, sitting in their cars, chatting through windows, laughing, and refusing to let isolation dull their spirits.
She was an unofficial counsellor and second mother for many of our friends, offering warmth, insight, honesty, and love.
Gloria cheered (sometimes colourfully) for her Winnipeg Blue Bomber and Jets, rarely missing a televised game.
Mom wanted her family to live their best lives; Mom’s memory will forever be a blessing and legacy for her loving family.
Among the many people we thank, we give a special thanks to Dr. Ify Osagie and mom’s dear health care companion Tess Barillos.
Graveside funeral was held on October 20, 2025, at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Donations in Gloria’s memory may be made to the Buddy Check for Jesse Society, supporting youth mental health in honour of her grandson: https://buddycheckforjesse.com/ donate/