Obituaries
DR. MOE LERNER
Dr. Moe Lerner, MD, FCFP, FACEP, CCFP(EM) died peacefully on January 9th at St. Boniface Hospital at the age of 64.
He was predeceased by his parents, Pearl and Art Lerner. He is survived by his siblings, Yale (Carol), Anne, Meda, Michèle and Cara (Jonathan). He was a loving and devoted uncle and great uncle to 10 nieces and nephews and 7 great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Marie-Anne and Giselle and their families.
After graduating from medicine and working as a primary care physician at the Health Sciences Centre for several years, Moe became Director of Emergency Services at Seven Oaks Hospital and held that position for over a decade. During the same period, he was medical director of the City of Winnipeg Ambulance and Paramedic Services. Moe went on to work in a variety of different health institutions and served on numerous boards, task studies, commissions and similar groups. He served as a consultant to the Health Reform Office, which helped to fashion among other things, the regional health authority system, and served for a time as the medical director of the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre. He was a lecturer and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, and appeared at numerous conferences both in Canada and the United States.
Moe was a man of many talents who had a strong presence and was generally the life of the party. He was a certified lifeguard at a young age, and utilized this skill as an administrator and counselor at Camp Massad. He was active in sports including tennis, volleyball and curling, and was a talented artist, cartoonist and musician who played the guitar, banjo and ukulele, leading many a sing-along. He combined his comedic and musical talents with his medical knowledge to become a highly successful medical expert on CBC radio.
Moe loved, and was loved by, so many friends who have remained loyal to him throughout his life. Moe’s compassion knew no bounds. He was always available when anyone needed medical help or moral support. He was a leader in the fight for the rights of the obese and was internationally renowned for his work. Moe appeared on numerous television and radio shows in Canada and the US, and his many writings and broadcasts can still be seen online. He was featured in a National Film Board documentary titled “Fat Chance”.
While Moe’s mobility was severely limited in the past few years, he maintained his advocacy for the obese. Dr. Jon Gerrard, in speaking to his introduction in the Manitoba Legislature of Bill 207 in 2016, said: “Madam Speaker, I want to begin my remarks on Bill 207 by acknowledging the contributions of Dr. Moe Lerner to this bill. He’s helped me to understand the nature of the prejudice and discrimination which those who are obese can be subject to”.
Many thanks to the staff at St. Boniface and Deer Lodge Hospitals and especially to his friend and physician, Ian Maharaj.
Moe will be missed by so many.
Obituaries
EVE VICKAR

Eve Vickar passed on August 25, 2025, at age 96 years.
She is survived by Kerry, Simone, Eric, Susan, Michaela, Chloe, Emily, her cat Simba, and extended family. She was predeceased by her husband Harry, her parents Irene and Arthur Weinberger, and her brothers and sisters-in-law.
Eve was born in Vienna, Austria in November, 1928. She enjoyed recounting her childhood years in Vienna, notably the weekends when she and her father would together enjoy Vienna’s beautiful parks. She recalled journeys to the Austrian countryside to visit her maternal grandfather in Untersiebenbrunn. Remarkably, these cherished childhood memories were not tarnished by the menace of growing fascism. Eve was nine years of age when Austria was annexed and lived fifteen months under Nazi occupation. She recounted her father taken captive on Kristallnacht in November 1938, the shattering of the chandeliers in their condominium and her father’s miraculous return home in the morning (having been released by a fellow First World War veteran).
Rather than holding bitterness, Eve periodically shared a longing for her Austrian roots and seemed to grieve the loss of the further opportunity to have grown up in Vienna amidst the familiar culture of her childhood. She and her parents escaped to London six weeks before the onset of Second World War, and emigrated to Canada one year later. She remained eternally grateful to the British for providing safe harbour for the family during their first year as refugees. Eve and her parents subsequently crossed the Atlantic in wartime and settled in Oshawa, ON, where she finished high school and worked in administration for General Motors.
In 1950 she met dashing Harry Vickar, a farmer from Saskatchewan, and together they established their lives and family in the town of Melfort, SK. Eve recounted the family’s twenty years in Melfort as idyllic, notably with deep lasting relationships with lifelong friends and a nurturing environment for her sons’ formative years. Her advocacy and volunteerism in the arts began in Melfort and continued in Winnipeg, following the family’s relocation. She proudly served as a member of the Women’s Committee of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for over forty years, and cherished her friendships and experiences. Eve successfully navigated three major health challenges throughout her life, each with courage and resolve, motivated by her deep religious faith, forward thinking, and love of life itself. Her grace, elegance and generosity were ever-present, as was her love and care for her husband, children and grandchildren, her pets and extended family and friends. She left a tremendous legacy by example and is deeply missed.
The family is very grateful for our compassionate caregivers for having provided exceptional care over these many years. Donations in Eve’s memory may be made to the Eve Vickar Memorial Fund at the North East Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (The Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter) in Melfort, Saskatchewan (email:tres@northeastSPCA.org).
Obituaries
MORRIS KAUFMAN

The Honourable Morris (Moishe) Kaufman, who lived a full and vibrant life, died peacefully on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at the age of 84 surrounded by family.
Born in Tel Aviv on November 14, 1940, Moishe moved to Winnipeg with his family at the age of 12 where he learned English. At 15 he was invited to attend the Chicago Jewish Academy. Upon graduating, he studied Talmud at the Hebrew Theological College. After a year at Roosevelt University on scholarship, he returned home to Winnipeg. Moishe earned a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1968. Moishe’s early law practice included working at Legal Aid and culminated with the establishment of the firm Kaufman, Cassidy, Ramsay. On October 7, 1998, he was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba, where he served until his retirement. He was known for his fairness, humility, and reasoned decisions.
Moishe’s commitment to public service extended well beyond the courtroom. He served on Winnipeg City Council from 1971 to 1977, bringing to civic life the same clarity, empathy, and common sense that marked his legal career. He was actively involved with the Liberal Party of Manitoba and Canada, contributing his thoughtful counsel and deep belief in public service to the political arena. Moishe served on a number of boards including Rossbrook House, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and Via Rail Canada.
Moishe was genuine, loving, charismatic and at the same time, erudite and witty. He loved all music, playing guitar, basketball, swimming, reading extensively, horse racing, carpentry at the cottage, a heated discussion and playing poker with his grandchildren. Moishe was a mensch who will be remembered for his gentle strength, his keen mind, and his deep commitment to family, friends and the communities that he was a part of. His legacy of justice, kindness, and devotion will live on through his family and the many lives he touched.
Moishe was predeceased by his parents, Shlomo and Clara Kaufman. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Maxine (née Gussin). Together they built a life full of love, respect, and partnership. He was the proud and loving father of three daughters and their spouses: Juliet, Brent, Shelley, Geof, Dunniela (Dunnzy) and Jeff. Moishe adored his six grandchildren, Jennifer, Jacob, Cierra, Daniel, Jack and Charlie, each of whom brought him great joy and each of whom had an individual and special relationship with their Saba. He leaves his sister and brother-in-law Miriam and Ralph Kuropatwa, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Phyllis and Herbie Goldberg, and an extended network of family and friends.
Moishe and family are very grateful to all the dedicated homecare staff and caregivers and appreciate their exceptional care, kindness, compassion and conversation. They are equally grateful for the medical care and guidance that he received throughout his illnesses.
Services were held on Sunday, October 4, 2025 at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue in Winnipeg.
In Moishe’s memory, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
Obituaries
ALICE HALPRIN

Alice Halprin died on September 24, 2025 at the age of 96. Born in Winnipeg, she was the fourth of five children of Victor and Fanny Schultz. Blissfulness was shattered when her mother died following a long illness, circumstances which necessitated her temporary placement in the Jewish Orphanage, a period marked by her great unhappiness.
Every one of the five siblings paid a price. Brother Albert gave up plans for university to support them in the family fur business and sisters, Myrna and Ruth, instead of enjoying their teens raised their younger sisters, now barely seven and five. Once on his feet, their father moved the family from behind the fur factory on Selkirk Avenue to Inkster Blvd., later spoiling Alice with cashmere sweaters and a fancy wedding at the Royal Alexander Hotel. She attended Luxton and St. John’s High schools.
North and South end Winnipeg united when Alice met the love of her life, Edward Halprin; they married in 1949. Though she was welcomed like a daughter by in-laws, Joseph and Rae Halprin, she didn’t fully enjoy the benefits of family as she moved from place to place while Ed, a general contractor, built Shop Easy stores across the Prairies. There were moves to Edmonton, Calgary, Fort William and Miami. In between they returned to Winnipeg. With later moves to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Vancouver, packing up and relocating became the theme of her life. In the course of having to divest herself of possessions, she proved to have a real facility for sales, at one time convincing a potential buyer with an interest in one of their cars to also buy her enormous eight foot Philodendron Tree. Making new friends wasn’t easy but she nevertheless maintained strong friendships. In particular, sisters-in-law, Sylvia Scott, Laurane Schultz, Elyse and Lynda Halprin, and cousin Sandra Halprin, all dear friends now gone, figured largely. She proved to be a loyal friend who would rather swallow tacks than break a promise or divulge a secret.
For the third time in her life, starting in the late 1980s, she retuned to Vancouver, a city she came to love beyond all others and which she shared with many visitors. Distanced from her own children, she cultivated special bonds with nieces, Dr. Rhonda Shuckett and Danyael Halprin. She volunteered at a day care and worked in a bath boutique and a children’s wear shop where she was a trusted employee and eventual friend.
Dogs figured prominently in her life. For as long as living arrangements allowed, there was a dog to love. And then there were her grandchildren whom she visited as often as possible alternating between dance recitals and hockey games, always rejoicing in their academic proclivities. She might have singlehandedly kept the laminating business alive preserving and bragging about their school reports. Even in failing health, her obvious delight in her grandchildren, including special granddaughters-in-law, Hayley and Rachel and her great-grandchildren, never faded.
In 2007, she and Ed, now suffering with dementia, returned to Winnipeg after an absence of over thirty-seven years. Rising to a hard situation, she did much to make the best of his last years as she began to exhibit her special kind of inner strength and strong will, which she seemed to manufacture and draw upon to persevere.
Great-grandchildren began arriving shortly after Ed’s death and she exerted her independence and generosity. She was able to indulge her love of classical music attending symphony concerts and the opera. A veritable news junkie she kept current on domestic and world events. She travelled and she wintered with sister Sally in Palm Springs. She travelled multiple times to New York including for both grandson’s weddings and after the births of her great-grandchildren. Her offspring were the greatest shows in town but it’s where she also enjoyed Broadway, Lincoln Centre and Katz’s Delicatessen. Despite the distance the affection and adoration of her New York great-grandchildren was remarkable, a testament to the obvious love she had for them.
With the exception of clothes, (she always dressed well), she wasn’t particularly acquisitive. What she was, was careful with her things, always preserving and maintaining them. She was an immaculate house keeper and even in her last weeks often asked if the floors were shining. Though she owned many beautiful things, over the years she gave them away, jewelry, silver and china, to her daughters, Leigh and Kerrie and granddaughters, Rachel and Alexandra. She kept what mattered to her, pictures, letters, cards, those laminated school reports and newspaper clippings featuring the exploits of her grandchildren and others.
She will be remembered for her beauty, her quiet elegance and demeanour, as a gentle lady, kind and regal.
Predeceased by her parents and cherished siblings, Albert Schultz, Myrna Mitchell and Ruth Shenback, she is survived by her dear sister, Sally Shuckett, daughters, Leigh and Kerrie and their husbands, Stevan Raber and Richard Leipsic. She also leaves granddaughters, Rachel Cooper (Amy Rapp) and Alexandra Cooper (Matan Gamliel) and grandsons, Adrian (Rachel Friedman) and Barry Joseph (Hayley) Leipsic of New York as well as the joy of her life, six great-grandchildren ,Yaffe and Noa Gamliel, and in New York Max, Cora, Rae, Alyce (her namesake) Leipsic, and honourary great-grandson, Eben Karnani as well as numerous and loving Halprin/Klein and Schultz nieces and nephews.
Thanks go to Dr. Claire Jaeger as well as her caregivers whose devotion allowed her to remain at home until the end: Sonia, Gerlie, Everlyn, Rosanna, Tess, Nancy and Anna-lyn. These wonderful individuals returned the respect and generosity she showed many times over.
Funeral services were held September 28 at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery eloquently led by Rabbi Carney Rose. Her pallbearers included nephews, Rocky Pollack, Myron Schultz, and David Halprin (Toronto) along with grandsons, Adrian and Barry and her devoted son-in-law, Richard Leipsic. Honorary pallbearers were Bryan Klein and Victor Schultz.
Donations in her memory are kindly directed to Jewish Child and Family Services and The Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.