Obituaries
Dr. LEONARD KAHANE
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.
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.
Obituaries
GARY MELTZER January 28, 1953 – July 31, 2024
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the peaceful passing of Gary Martin Meltzer on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at the Grace Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Born on January 28, 1953, in Beausejour, Manitoba,
Gary was the cherished son of Arnie and Helen Meltzer (née Shore).
Gary was predeceased by his devoted parents, Arnie and Helen Meltzer, and his brother, Allan Meltzer. He is survived by his nephew Jonathan Meltzer (Sean), niece Megan Meltzer, his great-niece Gabby Meltzer and his great-nephews, Jerrod Meltzer and Benji Carroll. Gary will be deeply missed by his many cousins. He shared a particularly close relationship with his cousin Jennifer Curtis-Lane. Jennifer’s steadfast presence by Gary’s side in his final days was a testament to their deep connection. Gary’s love extended to Jennifer’s husband Deon and their three daughters, Sophie, Abby, and Emily.
Gary’s early years were spent in Beausejour Manitoba, where his father Arnie and Uncle Sid started their business. Those days were filledwith the warmth and joy of a large extended family. In 1964, the Meltzer family moved to Winnipeg, settling on Hartford Avenue in West Kildonan, where Gary attended West Kildonan Collegiate before earning his CPA degree from the University of Manitoba.
A naturally private person, Gary was happiest when surrounded by family and talking about politics, sports or current events. His fondest memories were of summers spent at Winnipeg Beach with his Margulius and Shore cousins. As he grew older, Gary became more reserved, quietly excelling in a wide range of skills. Whether fixing cars, repairing things around the house, or building intricate model airplanes and cars, Gary’s talents were many, yet he never sought attention for them.
Gary’s aptitude for numbers and building, found a perfect outlet in his career as a CPA and bookkeeper for companies specializing in window manufacturing and installation. His professional career eventually took him from the back office to the factory floor where his last few years were spent building windows andother items that used to fill his spreadsheets. His professional skills were matched by a deep love for hockey. As a devoted Winnipeg Jets 1.0 season ticket holder, Gary was known for his passionate “coaching” from his favourite chair during away games.
Gary was a man of habit and tradition. He frequented the Salisbury House at Main Street and Matheson for coffee and the Green Briar Inn for beers with friends. His vanity license plate, “GO AWAY,” became infamous in the family, a quirky symbol of his unique personality.
One of Gary’s lesser-known talents was baking. He took pride in mastering his mother’s cherished recipes, often sharing his creations with Jennifer and her daughters, who were his willing taste-testers.
Gary’s big heart was often hidden beneath a quiet demeanour, but his family always knew they could count on him. Whether helping with a move, installing appliances, or giving advice on home improvements, Gary was always there.
After his father Arnie fell ill, Gary remained at home to help his mother. He continued to help Helen adjust to life without Arnie, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to family.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff on the 3rd floor of the Grace Hospital for their compassionate care during Gary’s final weeks, with special gratitude to Nurse Tyler for his empathy and kindness.
A special thank you to Tracey Kasner for conducting Gary’s funeral and capturing his essence. Funeral service was held on Friday, August 2, 2024, at the Hebrew Sick Cemetery.
Pallbearers included Jonathan Meltzer, Megan Meltzer, Jennifer Lane, Jeffrey Curtis, Rick Shore, and Leon Pincovich.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg or Cancer- Care Manitoba.
Gary will be remembered for his quiet strength, his selflessness, and the love he had for his family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Obituaries
JERRY MOSCOVITCH
Jerry Moscovitch, husband to Gloria and father to Susan and Dan passed away at the Simkin Centre January 2, 2025.
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