Obituaries
DR. SHELDON MORLEY CLAMAN
The family of Sheldon Claman is saddened to announce his passing on December 19, 2020, at home surrounded by those he loved the most, in person and in spirit. Sheldon was a greatly beloved husband, father and grandfather who will be deeply mourned and dearly missed.
Sheldon was predeceased by his parents, Benjamin and Teresa (Tess) Claman; his brother Usher Claman; and his cherished son Benny. Deeply feeling his loss are his wife of 56 years, Louise and his three children, Erin (Toronto), Sara (Mardy) and Jeffery. His grandsons, Brett and Seth Yager will miss their zeyda forever and were Sheldon’s greatest gifts.
Sheldon was born in Beausejour, Manitoba in 1932. He was the older of two brothers and his father served as the local dentist. In the early 1940s, Sheldon’s father, Ben enlisted in the Army and the family relocated to Winnipeg. Tess held down the fort at home on Glenwood Crescent and Sheldon attended school and did the things boys do in their youth with his many neighbourhood friends. Sheldon graduated from St John’s High School, but was able to avoid writing final exams by the onset of the flood of 1950. Sheldon and his classmates were dispensed to help pack sandbags in lieu of graduation ceremonies. Following his high school graduation, Sheldon attended the University of Manitoba; as there was no Dental School in Manitoba at the time, he attended the Faculty of Dentistry at McGill University. During the summers, Sheldon served as an Army Reservist with the Canadian Forces to fund his educational pursuits. He served in the Artillery Corps and the Dental Corps. Upon completion of his DDS, he completed postdoctoral training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Iowa, in Iowa city and at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center, in Oklahoma City. Sheldon was a board member and the President of the Manitoba Dental Association and Founder/President of the Royal College of Dentists. He taught oral surgery in both the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and was a member of the Alpha Omega Fraternity. He was an incredibly humble man with a strong sense of integrity which was the basis for how he cared for people throughout his life. Sheldon was a mentor to many, a leader with a strong sense of fairness and compassion which he passed on to his children and especially his grandsons.
In 1963, Sheldon returned to his hometown of Winnipeg to work while he awaited the paperwork which would allow him to return to the US permanently. In May of 1964, he was set up on a blind date by a patient; he would say this meeting changed the trajectory of his life. Sheldon married the love of his life, Louise Hecht on December 22, 1964 and remained in Winnipeg for the rest of his life. Sheldon recently said, on Louise’s birthday just weeks prior to his passing that “I made many mistakes in my life, but marrying you (Louise) wasn’t one of them”. Together, Sheldon and Louise built a life filled with happy memories and family and friends. Although there were challenges along way, Sheldon, with Louise’s fortitude continued on building his professional practise, mentoring generations of dental surgeons through his teaching at the University of Manitoba, and assisting in establishing the Faculty of Dentistry, performing surgeries in the St. Boniface Hospital, Misericordia Hospital and briefly at the Victoria Hospital hospital , eventually founding his surgical center which provided a place for dental surgery to be performed outside the hospital system. Sheldon was responsible for bringing the dental implant surgery to Winnipeg, bringing progressive and cutting-edge surgical techniques to patients and professionals alike.
In 1966, Sheldon and Louise had their first child Erin, followed in 1968 by son Benny and in 1970 by Sara. The family was complete when Jeffery was born in 1971. He changing diapers side by side with Louise, and when Louise returned to work evening shifts, Sheldon took on the challenge of caring for four children after his workday was over. Things never went according to the lists laid out by Louise during her absence, but everyone got fed and was happy by the time she arrived home. Sheldon was an avid father, and although he worked extensive hours during his early years in practise, by the time the children were older, he was around home more and willing to help with their homework; until one of their teachers suggested he stop doing their homework and allow the children to do it themselves.
Sheldon cared deeply for all he considered friends, and passionately for his family. Through his life he never hesitated to offer his love and support to his children when times were tough and challenges presented themselves. Although Sheldon and Louise experienced heartache, they also had joy and happiness which was celebrated with the accomplishments of their children and in turn the birth of their grandsons, Brett and Seth. Sheldon and Louise’s grandsons embodied the meaning of life and love to all but particularly Sheldon who never ceased to be amazed at their antics and often took part in their mischief, laughing when they were caught “red handed”. Zaida was Brett and Seth’s right hand man and they knew his love and dedication to them and future they represented to him. Whether it was sitting with Brett as a toddler in a car for hours so Brett could “drive”, pretending the shower was a spaceship or proof-reading university papers, Sheldon glowed in the presence of his “prince” Brett. The mere picture of his grandson, Seth could bring a smile to his face even when he was not feeling well and he always counted on Seth to update him on facts about Frank Sinatra and other “Rat Pack” members for which they shared an affinity. On many rides to dialysis, Seth provided his zaida with a playlist of favourites, bringing smiles in a difficult time.
Sheldon’s family had the incredible honour of caring for him in his last days, helping Louise ensure that he had what he needed and was comfortable. His dignity and integrity were maintained to the end. He knew that he was beloved and cherished and that Louise would be well taken care of when he was no longer able to do so.
A graveside ceremony for immediate family only was held on December 21, 2020 at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Matthew Liebl.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Benny Claman Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. John’s Ravenscourt School (204-477-2485), Jewish Child and Family Service (204-477-4730) or a charity of your choice.
Obituaries
MORLEY JACOBS APRIL 16, 1941 – JUNE 26, 2025
With deep reluctance to post his passing, our adored Moishe who fought to stay as long as possible, left us, in the early hours of June 26th; while his presence resides in memories, the activities he pursued in the purposeful life he lived, remain.
He never lost the use of his affable charming smile under his blue eyed gaze; an intent listener, even in his last days, who made you feel seen and heard. To be known by Morley was a privilege; to have been his friend often felt like walking with a prince of angels, when he spoke less and listened more.
Dr. J as his students over the years would tell you, he was the kind of mentor you could trust. His passion for excellence in education was intense and generous, inspiring his students with their own potential to realize a career.
A PhD in Biochemistry, Morley lectured in classes and labs at RRCC, where he connected one by one, year after year with a multitude of young people. Reaching beyond this, Morley successfully petitioned the provincial government and won the retention of the Biochemistry Department at RRCC, following which he expanded the opportunities for students on practicum in this field, through a Jobs co-operative program. In the Biology/Chemistry Departments at U of W, as the Co-op Coordinator, Morley developed the program within the province and beyond for graduate students in applied Sciences Degrees.
In subsequent years, he connected graduates of the RRCC course, who wished to continue in Biochemistry in a reciprocal agreement to earn and achieve a Bachelor Degree in Biochemistry at University.
For 13 consecutive years, between1989 to 2002, Morley served as an elected School Trustee in the Seven Oak School system. He was an educational activist working on multiple committees, knew the principals and teaching staff at each school, always searching for increasing student successand a long time proponent for Year-round Education.
Through those years, Morley attended dozens of schools, personally documenting results of their YRE programs.
Selected to serve as the chairperson on a variety of boards, including the Seven Oaks School Board, he took on each role with dedicated time, organizing, improving, and encouraging an elevated standard of public service. His days were filled well into the evenings, with volunteer work and on weekends when he decided to partner with like minded friends, he brought computer tutors and kids together with an early learning education opportunity.
Along with all of that work, Morley found time to run the Boston Marathon to raise funds for the I.L. Peretz School in 1978 was a long time member of the CIC and served as Mid-Canada AOAC President. A lifetime believer in blood donations, Morley was honored as a distinguished citizen with humanitarian recognition, for the number of donations he gave over the years. On retirement, he researched and developed a Greenhouse Nutrition project to improve food sourcing for Northern communities and in that same period, spent 8 years writing a book, he hoped would be a legacy for people to understand the biochemistry of nutrition, “The Guide: To Understanding Nutrition and the Body’s Response to Food”, which he published in 2018.
He was still busy enjoying his first years in his eighth decade, planning future trips, and long walks with whomever wanted to come along, staying fit and eating well on his early morning rise, when he would be proactively planning the day; he loved life.
He believed each day was the privilege to make choices that made a positive difference to the people you loved and the work that you did. Through all of those decades, the longest number of them, he spent as a playful guy with our adored kids and grandkids. In hundreds of family photographs, he was the playmate in any game, goofy in every dress up, airplane ride giver, stellar hide and seek player, breakfast every morning maker, unabashed Karaoke singer, and the guy you wanted when you needed someone to make things right.
Born in Portage la Prairie, the third child of Abraham and Rebecca Jacobs, in 1950, Morley
moved with his family to Winnipeg, his older siblings, brother Joe (OBM), sister Toba Isler (resides in Florida), settled in at 529 Rupertsland, where he made many lasting friendships over his lifetime. Raised with strong Jewish beliefs in an observant and caring family home, he studied at Talmud Torah, excelled at school, and acquired the foundations for community, family, honorability in character, and the value of knowledge.
Morley considered it fate that we met on his 18th birthday at a Rec-room party in 1956. Nine years later, we married at the Shaarey Zedek, on May 2nd, 1965.
Husband who treasured the miracle of us, who supported the fulfillment our mutual dreams, he was my person who stepped up in all of our critical hours, my trained Lamaze partner for the birth of our children; we were two young people, who raised each other higher as we grew older together. When we met it was instantaneous friendship and when we married, it was a bond of mutual adoration, with all of those glorious years together, sixty nine of them, whatever happened, our togetherness was a state of being that nurtured us all.
Beloved by his nieces, Pam Weinroth (Robert), Rhonda Kupfer (Sam), and nephews, Scott Jacobs (Heidi) and Mark Jacobs, for whom he was an active uncle, visiting whenever he could as they grew up and married, happily around long enough to play with their children.
Mahjong sit-in player for any game, Morley was a cribbage master, who did a daily Sudoku-chess and a cipher quiptoquote, while at the same time; he was a researcher par excellence who was able to make the most complex biochemistry understandable. Strong and agile, he was an athlete from youth, a track star and marathon runner, in high school a basketball player while through his life a huge fan of baseball and hockey, he was noted in his early teens as an avid ping pong player.
For all the years people knew him he was humble with his own notable achievements academically, but remained generous with intellectual sharing, correcting only with honorable concerns. It was his ease in praising and engaging in progressions that valued excellence, through all of his years, daily, Morley was the legacy of his smiles of confidence for others. Morley was a guy who frequented the pleasure of being forever joyous with children, and as every family pet could avow, he was the doted upon favorite.
His time here blessed everyone and everything, and we know he would hope to inspire that in others.
Etched into our collective family sharing of him, we are his memory keepers held to our own souls with enduring honor for how he conducted himself in his life, evermore: Children, Stephanie Jacobs-Lockhart and Morrison Jacobs; our son-in-law, Darwin Lockhart and daughter-in-law, Jennifer (Lisakowski) Jacobs; and our grandchildren, Jonah Samuel Lockhart, Elle Talia Lockhart, Adli Jayden Jacobs, Mazie Carolyn Jacobs, and me, Bev (Berkal) Jacobs, the woman who had the privilege of him for all of those years, nothing to mourn and everything to remember with joy.
Services were held at the Chesed Shel Emes, and the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Matthew Leibl, attended by pallbearers, Morrison Jacobs, Adli Jacobs, Darwin Lockhart, Mark Makarovsky, Michael Meyers, and Mark Kogan.
Donations in memoriam may be made to a charity of your choice.
We know his spirit will continue to be a blessing for all, if there was a way his neshamah would find it; to be the valiant progenitor for a great renewal in this world, in peace, love and humanism.
Obituaries
ETTIE (EDDY) WERIER
Ettie Werier passed away in her sleep on July 25, 2025, at the Shaftesbury Park Retirement Residence in Winnipeg.
She will be hugely missed by her many friends and her family. Eddy was predeceased by her husband Lawrence, her younger sister Naomi (Wolfe), her older sister Sherry (Chochinov), her parents Max and Annie and her beloved grandson Koby.
Born Ettie Rubinfield in Ustryke Dolne, Poland in 1928, Eddy arrived in Winnipeg in 1931. She spent her childhood in the North End, where her parents ran a little grocery store on Alfred Avenue. She grew up to be a beautiful young woman with a warm smile and a quick mind.
She met Lawrence Werier, the love of her life, on a train ride to Winnipeg Beach. Eddy obviously wanted adventure, otherwise she would not have chosen Lawrence to be her beloved husband of more than 75 years, because he was always unconventional, but somehow this fit her perfectly. They were married in 1949 and started a family in 1952. While raising three children in River Heights, Eddy often travelled the world with Lawrence, visiting countless out-of-the-way beaches and dozens of countries.
Eddy had a quiet charisma. Maybe it was the mischievous sparkle in her eye or some droll bit of storytelling but all were attracted to her goodness, kindness and wit. Eddy was known for her intelligence, competitive spirit, and love for her family. She was an accomplished bridge player, and whether competing online or with her “bridge ladies,” she played to win, even on her last day. She was never an athlete, but at the age of 50 she took up tennis and became a force to be reckoned with until she retired her racket due to bad knees at the age of 85.
Eddy spent the last few years of her life enjoying the community at the Shaftesbury Residence and developed a strong and loving relationship with her companion and caregiver Tess Braun who is grieving the loss alongside the family, including Eddy’s surviving brother Jack Rubinfield. The family will especially miss the generous love and support she gave her children Kerry, Clifford and Jodie and their life partners Suzanne, Sabrina and Michael, and her grandchildren, Cynthia, Alex and Koby. Whether chatting with Grandma on Facetime or hugging her in her Shaftesbury suite, her family treasured the moments when we could come together in Winnipeg and bask in her smile. If you feel inclined to make a donation in Eddy’s memory, please choose a charity of your choice.
Obituaries
Dr. VELIMIR KON B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc., Ph.D. September 18, 1950-June 27, 2025
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dr. Velimir Kon, or Shlomo, beloved husband of Branka and father of Deborah and Lea. Velimir was an accomplished teacher and academic, and he was renowned for his intellectualism, humility and humanity.
A gentle soul who was always sociable and who genuinely loved people, Velimir was equally at home in the university classroom as a professor and as a secondary school Biology, Chemistry and Math teacher in Northern Ontario (Big Trout Lake) and Manitoba (God’s River, Berens River). Velimir made a difference to many First Nations students throughout a career that spanned decades. He was dedicated to his students, colleagues and family. An adept and talented pianist, Velimir enjoyed the arts and of course Jewish humour. He was an avid shul goer and supporter of Israel and enjoyed his duties in shul as a Kohayn. Velimir was a man of faith who was able to fuse his love of science and Judaism.
Born in Croatia, Europe (the former Yugoslavia) to Shoah survivors Rose (Rochel, ne Lederer) and Arnold Kon (Ariel), Velimir immigrated to Canada with his wife and girls in 1988, making many personal sacrifices along the way to ensure a peaceful and safe life for his family. Adaptability and optimism characterized Velimir. Known for his heart of gold, Velimir touched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him. A love of Jewish values, family values and life-long learning and education characterized Velimir. With his charming, outgoing and friendly personality, Velimir welcomed everyone into his life and into our home.
His kindness, humour, generosity and goodness will be deeply missed by his family and friends in Winnipeg, Victoria, B.C., Guelph, ON, Osijek, Croatia, Belgrade, Serbia, Los Angeles and Boston, U.S.A., and Israel, Jerusalem, Haifa and Karmiel. Baruch Dayan Haemet.
A traditional funeral was held on June 30, 2025 at the Hebrew Sick Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can still be made to Chabad Lubavitch of Winnipeg, B’nai Brith or the JNF.
Velimir will be forever missed and cherished by Branka, Deborah and Lea.