Obituaries
HOWIE BLATT
It is with heavy hearts we announce the peaceful passing of Howie Blatt, with his loving family at his side, on October 10, 2024, at St. Boniface Hospital, after a very brief lymphoma cancer.
He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Cathy Dearden, his sons, David (Seri) Blatt and Josh (Karlee Rosenberg) Blatt, and granddaughters, Hannah and Maya Blatt.
He is remembered with love by his brother, Arnie (Sura-Fraida) Blatt in Minnetonka. He is also remembered by brother-in-law Craig Dearden (Cathy Boase) in Fairmont Hot Springs. Several nieces and nephews have fond memories of dear “Uncle Howie”. He was predeceased by his parents, Philip and Anne Blatt; his sister, Sandy Goldstein; his first wife, Faye Blatt; in-laws, Ted and Estelle Saunders, and Ed and Lois Dearden.
Howie was born February 25, 1944 and grew up in the north end of Winnipeg. He spent summers at Winnipeg Beach, and enjoyed tennis, fishing and boating. As a teenager, he started going fishing at Lake of the Woods, where his father was born and raised. Shortly after getting his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Winnipeg, he married his first wife, Faye Saunders. In 1969, they welcomed their son, David, and one month later, Faye passed away.
Howie was an exceptional father, raising David on his own. They went to Jets games, the lake, and whether they stayed in a tent, a trailer, a cabin, or eventually on their sailboat, OVERDRAFT, they had a wonderful, fun-filled time.
In 1981 he married Cathy Dearden, and in 1984, their son, Josh, was born. The family of four continued their busy life with the boys playing hockey and golf, going to Jets games, summers at Fantasy Island, travel, ski trips, and so on.
Howie had a successful career at Great-West Life as a life insurance and investment advisor. He and his family attended numerous sales conventions. He made it a priority to balance his professional life with quality family time.
He dabbled in a few restaurants and was always a “foodie”. He loved helping his friends find the best places to eat their favourite foods. He was always available to lend a helping hand or offer advice on various topics. His friends and their kids loved him.
He played squash and was a member of the Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club for many years, serving as president in 1995-1996.
Family was EVERYTHING to Howie. He always had time for family dinners, sharing recipes, TRADITIONS, and celebrating all special holidays. Extended family gatherings with “Mishpacha” were very important to him.
Howie was so proud of his sons. He was thrilled when David married Seri, and he soon became a grandfather to Hannah and Maya. He loved spending time with “his girls”, especially at the lake.
He had a wonderful time introducing Karlee to lake life traditions when she came into Josh’s life. And he knew which wedding dress she picked!
Two places dear to his heart were Fantasy Island at Lake of the Woods and Windstar in Naples, Florida. Barbecues, boating and fishing in the summer; cycling, pickleball, boating and eating oysters and key lime pie in the winter.
Howie has left a huge hole in our hearts, but he has left us with so many good memories and “Howie-isms”, such as “The faintest ink is better than the best memory”, “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda”, “Health, Happiness, and Cashflow” and many more. He taught us to laugh, to do what is right, and always stay positive. He had a heart of gold.
The family acknowledges the professional team at St. Boniface Hospital, 4th floor and the ICU, and especially the hematology team.
Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Grant Goldberg, Dr. Richard Blouw, and the entire team at Access Fort Garry for their compassionate and professional care over many years.
Howie’s funeral was held October 15 and can be viewed on the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue website, www.szwinnipeg.ca
Donations may be made in Howie’s memory to the Canadian Cancer Society, www.cancer.ca, designating your donation to non-Hodgkin lymphoma research, or should you prefer, the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation, www.lwdhf.com
Obituaries
LAWRENCE WERIER
Lawrence Werier passed away at home in Winnipeg on Wednesday, November 6 at the age of 98.
We thought he might live to 100, but it was not to be. Even though he was diminished by dementia in recent years, he still sparkled with an indomitable spirit that could not be missed, whether he was dancing with his many beloved caregivers or sitting quietly with his wife or children. He brought an intense energy to everything he accomplished, such as building a business, making a sale, playing tennis or scuba diving in some remote location.
His work at Goldin and Company was both challenging and joyful, and his entrepreneurial creativity brought him to Asia regularly, where he had close friends in Hong Kong and Taiwan. He married Eddy in 1949, and she remained the love of his life. They traveled the world together on many exotic trips, and in each place he would seek out adventure and fun. He was a force of life and an energetic presence who kept working and living and devouring experiences, always insisting that “the cup is half full.”
Many remember Lawrence as a great storyteller because he could never resist the impulse to share his exciting escapades with others. He didn’t retire until the age of 83, and even after formally ending his business, he continued to wheel and deal from home. In all of these passionate endeavors, he always had time for his children and grandchildren when they came to visit. His love of family was profound, and he demonstrated this love by generously bringing everyone together—children, spouses, grandchildren and Eddy—at treasured family gatherings in Costa Rica, St. Lucia and Mexico.
In recent days, people have reacted almost with astonishment that Lawrence has passed away, as if such a powerful energy might continue. We feel his loss deeply, along with his many friends in Winnipeg and beyond.
Lawrence is survived by his wife, Eddy, and his children, Kerry, Cliff and Jodie, and their spouses, Suzanne, Sabrina, and Michael. He is missed by his two granddaughters, Cynthia (her partner, Matt) and Alex. Lawrence was predeceased by his beloved grandson Koby. Lawrence had many wonderful caregivers at “the Shafts,” too numerous to mention, but Tess Braun was his special friend and honorary daughter, to whom the family is grateful beyond words. Tess, Chris, Mavis, Jonathon and Jules made him comfortable in his final days, and we extend thanks to them all.
Donations in his memory can be made to Shalom Residences (shalomresidences.com).
Obituaries
BETTY JOAN KATZ
Betty Katz passed away peacefully on October 26, 2024, at the age of 94.
She was predeceased by her husband, Melvyn (Mel) and her daughter, Michelle.
Betty is survived by her daughters, Alana (Ted) and Bonnie (Howard); her son, Andy; grandchildren, Jonathan (Leiba) and Jeremy; and great-grandchildren, Louis and Ada.
Betty and Mel were high school sweethearts and married in 1953. Shortly thereafter, they purchased their cherished home on Lanark Street where they lived until after their 60th wedding anniversary. As the children grew older, Betty began a career in property management.
Betty is fondly remembered for her outgoing nature, wit, tenacity, and her great cooking, notably – her signature dish – Spaghetti a la Betty Katz.
Thank you to the staff at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre where Betty received excellent care for the last eight years. Betty enjoyed the recreational activities and every opportunity to sit outdoors and at the sunny windows. Despite living with dementia, she was heard singing the words to “oldies” whenever there was an opportunity.
Thank you to Rabbi Matthew Leibl for leading a beautiful funeral service in Betty’s honour at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on October 28, 2024.
Obituaries
MARJORIE BAKALINSKY
It is with heavy hearts and deepest sadness that our family announce the peaceful passing of our dear sweet mother Marjorie Bakalinsky.
Mom passed away on Friday, October 18, 2024, at the Simkin Centre.
Mom was predeceased by her parents, Rose and Joseph Weinstein; her sister Shirley; her in-laws, Dora and Beryl Bakalinsky; her sister-in-law Rosalie; and most recently, her dearest brother in-law Shia. Mom is survived by her loving and dedicated life long partner Leonard; her children Rachelle (Bob), Marty (Theresa), Cheryl (Avrum) and Gayle (Frank); her loving grandchildren, Jennifer, David (Andrea), Daniel, Joshua, Kaitlyn, Carllen, and Jerrett; her sister Kayla (Saul), sister-in-law Miriam (Jerry), and many nieces and nephews.
Mom was born in Winnipeg on March 7, 1935. She was raised as a youngster in the north end on Burrows Ave, then moved to Ferry Rd in St. James where her parents owned a grocery store. After graduating high school in 1953, she enrolled in nursing school in Chicago. She spent one year studying in Chicago, came home for summer break, met our dad, fell in love and didn’t go back. On June 5, 1955, Mom and Dad exchanged their wedding vows and were able to celebrate 69 years of marital bliss.
Mom always put others in front of herself, especially our dad, her children and grandchildren. She was the most unselfish woman we have ever known and loved. The matriarch of our family. Our home on Coralberry Ave. was always an open door to our many childhood friends.
Mom loved our cottage at Falcon Lake where many wonderful memories were made over the years, with her grandchildren always by her side. That gave her the greatest joy.
For over 25 years Mom and Dad’s second home was in Margate, Florida. Every year Mom would welcome her children and grandchildren to their Florida home, where there was always a home cooked meal on the dinner table.
There were many things Mom loved to do. One was playing mahjong with her weekly groups in Winnipeg and in Florida. Mom was an active member of Hadassah and was very involved in the Bnay Abraham Synagogue sisterhood. All of these were secondary to her love for her husband, children and grandchildren.
When it came to the point where her family felt Mom was no longer safe in her own home, Dad made the very difficult decision to make the Simkin Centre her new home. All the staff at Simkin who cared for Mom treated her with respect and dignity. Mom’s family will forever be grateful to the wonderful people at the Simkin Centre.
To Rabbi Matthew Leibl, thank you for being a source of support for our family. Your presence helped guide us through mom’s stay in Simkin.
Mom, we love you to the moon and back and beyond.
Forever remembered, forever loved!
In loving memory of our mom, Marjorie, donations can be made to the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre, or to the charity of your choice.