Obituaries
ELEANOR M. BURKE
With aching hearts and great reluctance, we share the sudden passing of our beloved mother and best friend, Eleanor M. Burke (Shatsky) on December 12, 2021 at her home in Vancouver BC.
Born in Winnipeg MB on April 14, 1929 to Bert and Miriam Shatsky, mom was the middle of three sisters: Bernice Birnbach and Sherry Thompson, both of whom predeceased her. She spoke of them often, keeping their memories alive with colourful anecdotes and memories of their shared lives.
Our dad Morris, or Maishe as mom called him, passed away February 17, 2018 and mom missed him greatly every day, as do we. Married almost 68 years, they shared an amazing life together, as mom recorded in her final years with vivid clarity and detail. We were all blessed to have the whole family together in Vancouver for the last years of mom’s and dad’s lives and they are survived by us, her kids, David, Joel and Baillie, along with daughter-in-law Sharlynne, son-in-law Jeff, and her cherished grandchildren, Connor, Sarah, Ava, Kiera, and her paternal brother Morley (Shatsky).
Mom got her early education and love for music at Winnipeg’s first Jewish Orphanage where the three sisters lived during the week after their mother Miriam died at a young age. On weekends the sisters went home to their father after he remarried and their loving, devoted Auntie Annie (Zelickson) took a hand in raising them alongside their cousins as they all grew up together as siblings. This closeness would last all their lives.
Mom and dad met when she was 15 and he 16, at the home of a relative. She was entering Grade 11 at St. John’s Tech and he was beginning Grade 12 at Fort Garry University on Memorial Blvd. It would be eight years before they would marry – on July 1, 1951, after dad graduated medical school from the University of Manitoba at the young age of 23. Mom worked as a secretary and assistant and had her own apartment, but a job opening for a physician in a small town led them to beginning their lifelong adventure together. With two weeks to marry before dad had to begin his new job, they went to Erickson MB, then on to Norway House, followed by Wapella Sask. and back to Winnipeg – after being away for 10 years.
Mom told stories of their lives, the people they met, the challenges they overcame, and the memories that filled their early years together. Throughout it all, mom maintained a Jewish, kosher home whose door was always open to the many dear friends they made in those years. We siblings were all born in Winnipeg surrounded by our large extended family and we were blessed to have an idyllic upbringing, thanks to our folks’ unconditional love, guidance and commitment to family.
Mom discovered her passion for singing as a child. She was gifted with a rich contralto voice that was known for its special quality and deep resonance. It always brought tears to our father’s eyes when he saw her perform. She sang in choirs all her life, starting with the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Choir, the Philharmonic Choir, and the Manitoba Opera. She was in demand for weddings and events in the Jewish community and any group that needed an entertainer. She had a wonderful repertoire of Yiddish, Hebrew and English melodies and dearly loved singing and speaking in Yiddish as it reminded her of her youth. She remarked in later years that she adored singing for seniors because she was always looking for her mother who passed away too young at the age of 47 when she was eight years old.
Mom was always interested in working with seniors, regularly visiting not only her beloved Aunt Annie in the Sharon Home (later the Simkin Centre), but making the rounds to others who didn’t have regular visitors. She entertained the ‘inmates’ as she often joked, singing for them as she had done for her own family elders, often with a group of talented women and men she organized to sing, play piano and serve baking. She brought in school children in various grades to partake and interact with the residents.
Mom led a group of volunteers from her synagogue sisterhood for over 35 years, and gave of her time and energy selflessly. She enjoyed and absorbed the stories of people’s lives, often lending an ear to their woes. Mom was committed to keeping a traditional Jewish home and threw herself into every holiday and life-cycle event that had her hosting dinners and get-togethers where the whole family was always welcome. Never having a mean word for anyone, she chose to see only good qualities in a person and, if necessary, she’d make them up if there were few. Just as she saw the positive in every situation, always encouraging us to ‘pull (ourselves) up by our bootstraps’ as she used to say, she was an eternal optimist, singing and humming from sun-up to sun-down, always intent on accomplishing what she set out to do each day lest she not have a productive day to report.
With her charm and grace, she made a wonderful partner for Maishe, supporting and encouraging him with her calm and gentle nature. She uplifted all those who spent time with her and even reframed her painful memories into life lessons that formed the basis of her adaptability and resilience. She often spoke of the gratitude she had to have the life she lived with her sweetheart Maishe.
Of her many accomplishments, she was most proud of her children. To us, she embodied the perfect mother: elegant and glamorous – she was always ‘put together’ in such fashionable attire that belied how hard she worked to be an active member of the Jewish community, devoted wife and partner, mother, friend, sister and daughter. Fresh baking always awaited us when we got home from school and never did a simple peanut butter sandwich make its way into our school lunches… always a five course bursting bag lunch still warm from the morning.
A voracious reader all her life, mom insisted on watching the news incessantly and reading two newspapers every morning. At the age of 92, she could hold her own on current and past events and speak intelligently on a variety of topics. Her friends adored her wit and humour and we siblings recall our childhood filled with laughter, music, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and often strangers welcomed into the home, always with the aroma of her wonderful cooking. The love she had for Maishe, her family and Judaism, her loyalty and compassion – all served to set an example for how she wanted us to live our lives – by example. She had a strict moral compass and believed in her ability to persevere. She was indeed our best friend, our soft place to land in any situation. Her legacy as a ‘gutteneh neshama’ – a ‘good soul,’ will be cherished by all of us who will miss her and dad everyday.
Your warmth and light will live on in us, mom, and we know you will be singing with dad at your side until we all meet again.
Obituaries
BARBARA ELAINE WINESTOCK
Barbara Elaine Winestock, maiden name Block, was born on the 27th of May 1951 to parents, Hymie and Gertie Block. She grew up in Hodgson, Manitoba and then Winnipeg’s north end with her parents and younger sister Ava. In short, Barbara was chaos.
In 1980, she married Larry Winestock, who she had met only months prior. When they remembered their plane tickets, the two traveled around the world and when they remembered their luggage, they did so with clothing. They were chronically late, habitually unprepared and perpetually entertaining. Their love was sincere and their fights were like cats and dogs with rabies. Their family would be completed after years of trying to adopt, when they got the “once in a lifetime” opportunity twice, adopting Gabriel in 1989 and Bailey in 1992.
Barbara was so many things to so many people. She did so much throughout her life. She sold advertising spots for CKRC, she taught at the Rady Centre, she sewed, she gardened, she painted and so much more. She was loud, outgoing and made friends everywhere she went.
In 2019 she was diagnosed with brain cancer and given a prognosis of 11 months. This impending date was however not enough to overwhelm her aforementioned chronic lateness. She wouldn’t make this appointment for another six years. She beat it for so long.
Barbara passed away on September 21, 2025. Due to the impending holidays the funeral was held on the 22nd of September at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. We miss you Bobs.
Obituaries
KEVIN ROSEN
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Kevin Rosen, aged 54, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, following a determined and courageous battle with ALS. Kevin was the beloved son of Harvey Rosen (z”l) and Judy Goodman, loving husband of Judi Price-Rosen, devoted father of Emery, cherished brother of Pam, and special brother-in-law of Barbi and Jared Green. He was also the proud uncle of Stella, Jakob, Miranda and Micah, a treasured cousin, and a loyal friend to so many.
Kevin was born in Winnipeg and grew up in Garden City where he attended Talmud Torah, Jefferson Junior High and Garden City Collegiate. He graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1996 with an Honours degree in Commerce and soon after, headed to Toronto. It was there that he met the love of his life, Judi, and they married in 2000. Soon after their wedding, the newlyweds returned to Winnipeg to start their new life together. For 25 years, their love for each other remained unwavering and strong. Kevin’s calm demeanor and his remarkable ability to find humour in any situation helped them weather life’s challenges together.
In 2006, Judi and Kevin became a family with the birth of their son, Emery. Kevin’s greatest joy was being a dad and fatherhood came naturally to him. He parented with patience, empathy and gentle guidance. Whether it was watching cartoons and funny TikTok clips together, or a surprise trip to Toronto to take in a Blue Jays game, Kevin always made “father-son time” a priority.
Kevin had a long and successful career in marketing and communications that began in Toronto, and continued in Winnipeg at Gateway Publishing. Most of his employment experience was in higher education. He was hired as Marketing Manager at Red River College in 2004, and in 2012, reached the pinnacle of his career as Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of Winnipeg. Kevin led with integrity and humility and genuinely cared about the people he supervised. He was respected and well-liked by his colleagues and many remained in close touch after his early retirement.
Kevin was also an avid runner who completed seven full marathons. For years, he had trained his body and mind to push through that last gruelling mile with tenacity and intense focus. Like his favorite movie hero Rocky Balboa, Kevin was built for an epic fight. Little did he know that in his case, the stakes would be so much higher. The fight of Kevin’s life – and for his life – began with a diagnosis of ALS just months before he turned 50.
ALS may have changed his life, but Kevin never let it define him. He remained fiercely independent, continued to nurture relationships with family and friends, and welcomed visitors with a playful smile, a joke, and incredible patience. Even after he lost the ability to speak, Kevin’s quirky sense of humor remained, shining through via text, his computerized surrogate voice, and that signature glint in his eyes.
He was kindness personified. A wonderful listener. Loyal. Thoughtful. Humble. A true mensch.
To paraphrase his late father, we all won the lottery of life for having had the privilege of knowing and loving Kevin Rosen.
The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the many doctors, nurses and specialists involved in Kevin’s care: the staff at the Motor Neuron Clinic, his WRHA Palliative Care Team, Diana at the ALS Society of Manitoba, “Smoky” Lisa and Brenda. Sincere appreciation to Harsh, Maggie, Avya and Harleen who honoured Kevin’s dignity and provided companionship at the most difficult stage of his illness.
Donations in Kevin’s memory can be made to the ALS Society of Manitoba or the University of Winnipeg.
A Celebration of Life is planned for the spring of 2026.
Obituaries
ALAN LEVY
On January 6, Alan Levy, age 71, died at Grace Hospital with his wife and daughters by his side.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Alan spent his childhood in the North End and later moved to River Heights, where his family settled on Brock Street.
After studying in Winnipeg and Tel Aviv, Alan moved to Toronto, where he lived for over 30 years. It was in Toronto where he raised a family with his first wife, Sylvia Bashevkin, worked in public sector human resources and fell in love with Chinese food.
In 2017, after brief stints as an academic in Regina and Brandon, Alan moved back home to the Peg, where he spent many fulfilling years with his devoted wife of 20 years, Cheryl Karlinsky, and their loving dogs. In his later career, he was appointed to the Labour Relations Board of Canada where he served as a skilled adjudicator and proud Canadian.
Alan was endlessly proud of his family, daughters Dalia Levy and Aviva Levy (Adam Walman) of Toronto, and two grandsons, Jonah and Ethan.
Predeceased by his parents Sheldon and Audrey Levy (nee Myers) of Winnipeg, Alan was a dedicated news junkie with a sharp sense of humour. He thrived most when discussing current events, cracking jokes and debating geopolitical crises. Much to his family’s frustration, he would stay up all night glued to the news, and they’d wake up to endless articles he’d shared the night before.
Alan had an exceptionally strong spirit of generosity and focus on ‘tikkun olam’ – repairing the world, which lives on in his children and grandchildren. His family is grateful to the staff at Simkin for providing him with a phenomenal level of care over the last few years, especially Dr. Chung and Sara Reid, Assistant Director of Care. Special thanks to Paul, Victor and Almaze, his kind and patient caregivers.
The funeral took place at Chesed Shel Emes on January 8.
Donations in his memory can be made to The Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre https://www.simkincentre.ca.