March 20, 1925 – January 9, 2024

Dr. Leonard Kahane died peacefully on January 9, 2024, in his 98th year, at St. Boniface Hospital.

Left to cherish his memory are his sons, James and Grant (Sylviane), and adored grandchildren, Alyssa and Israel.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife Hope, and his loving and dedicated parents, Abraham and Elizabeth. Leonard was very close with his late brothers, Jack, Maurice and Bernard.

Leonard shared numerous special times with his nieces and nephews, Adam, David, Jed, Barbara, Ruth, Debbie, Joanie, Kerry and Joel, who loved and admired him.

Leonard embraced adventure, had incredible energy and maintained optimism throughout his long life. He skied the mountains of Utah when he was 80 and played racquetball until he was 90.

Leonard was born March 20, 1925, in Winnipeg. He recounted many happy memories of his childhood in the Riverview area of Winnipeg. He attended Riverview Elementary School and Gordon Bell High, where he excelled in track and field. Some of Leonard’s lifelong friendships began at the Y on Albert Street.

He attended the Faculty of Dentistry of Northwestern University in Chicago and graduated in 1949. Leonard practiced dentistry at his office on Corydon and Waterloo in Winnipeg from 1951 until 1995, retiring at 70. He excelled at his profession. He was highly respected by his professional peers, many of whom said he produced Winnipeg’s best restorative dental work during that time. Leonard had a deep interest in and close rapport with many of his patients. He taught at the University of Manitoba Dental School, served as president of the Canadian Association of Restorative Dentistry and was active in the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators. Assisted by Hope, Leonard served as a volunteer dentist on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia as well as Grise Fjord on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic.

Leonard’s many interests included golf, curling, skiing and scuba diving, and he and Hope enjoyed many years of square dancing and hiking in Arizona. They boated for 52 years, first on Lake Winnipeg, navigating to places such as Berens River and Norway House, and then on the Lake of the Woods. They became friends with many other boaters and he served as Commodore of the Royal Manitoba Yacht Club.

Following his retirement, for many years Leonard filled his days sculpting beautiful, large marble and other stone pieces: most of his works are in Winnipeg residences and businesses that bought them from charities to which Leonard donated his work.

Funeral services were officiated graveside by Rabbi Anibal Mass. Pallbearers were Alyssa Kahane, Grant Kahane, Israel Kahane, James Kahane, Joel Tatelman and Alan Madick.

The family wishes to thank Leonard’s physicians, Dr. John Rabson and Dr. Jose Villeda, as well as his caregivers, Cecilia, Gena, Joan and Mulu, from Cindy St. Hilaire’s Blossoms Senior Care.

Charitable donations in honour of Leonard Kahane may be made to either the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Dr. Leonard Kahane and Hope Kahane Fund (204) 477 7520, Harvest Manitoba Foodbank (204) 982 3581, or to the charity of your choice.