Obituaries
LAURANE SCHULTZ
We sadly announce the passing of our beloved mother, Laurane Schultz, on January 25, 2020.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, Albert; parents Anna and Louis Greenberg; sisters Esther Goodman and Sylvia Struzer, daughter-in-law Anna, and cherished family members.
She is survived by her children Erica (Phil Denomme), Lois, Victor and Myron (Elana) and granddaughters Dafna, Abbie and Liat. She will also be greatly missed by sisters-in-law Alice Halprin and Sally Shuckett; her sisters’ daughters Roberta Goodman, Pam Stelcner and Lisa Ohayon; her dear nieces and nephews; her grand-parenting partners, Serky and Ben Goldberg; and many wonderful friends.
Born May 14,1926, she was the golden-haired youngest of three. Her parents were immigrants who settled in Regina before moving the family to Winnipeg’s North End in 1929. Her father was a Hebrew School teacher, her mother a homemaker who performed in Winnipeg’s Jewish Theatre. They imparted strong values of social consciousness which she carried throughout her life.
As a young child she was recognized as a piano prodigy and learned much of the most difficult repertoire by ear before she could read music. She went on to win many awards and scholarships and had her own weekly radio show on CBC. She had fond memories of playing for the troops in Carberry and accompanying the Gilbert and Sullivan productions at St. John’s High School.
In her late teens, she left to study piano in Montreal, continuing at Juilliard in New York with Joseph Raieff and in California with Soulima Stravinsky. Reflecting back, she said that the greatest piano teacher she had ever worked with was here in Winnipeg, the late John Melnyk.
On one of her visits home, our parents were introduced by a mutual friend who knew of their shared love of music. They married on December 20, 1951 and a budding concert career was happily set aside for a wonderful life as inarguably the world’s most cherished wife and mother.
Her love and knowledge of music was at the core of her soul, and we literally learned music at her feet, lying underneath her treasured grand piano as she taught and played. As our own talents emerged, she devoted herself to developing them to their greatest potential.
Throughout her life she was also a marvelous cook and hostess. Her baking was unsurpassed, her fried chicken could have built an empire. Her presentation of food from the simplest sandwich to the fanciest torte was as wonderful as the taste, and brought her great satisfaction.
Our mother also helped our father in business as a sounding board for marketing and developing products, working at trade shows across North America and helping in the retail store – the Wonderful World of Sheepskin. She loved visiting with the staff at the company’s annual Christmas party where she was always treated with great affection and respect.
As a young family we enjoyed wonderful trips to Grand Forks, Bemidji and Grand Beach, and later to Florida, Las Vegas, Maui, and the Caribbean. In retirement, our parents cruised the world and then fully embraced the Snowbird life at their home in Palm Springs, which became our favorite place to spend time together, with beloved spouses, partners, and grandchildren now added to the family.
Her granddaughters brought tremendous joy to her life. She followed their interests and activities with great pride and was so pleased that music was a part of their well-rounded lives. She was fascinated by their discussions about environmentalism and their understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.
Though nearly ninety-four, our mother retained her youthfulness, beauty, grace, intelligence and vitality. Her strength upon losing our father in 2013 was an inspiration and we did everything in our power to ensure she continued to live the best life possible. We loved spending time with her sharing meals, talking, playing cards, travelling, getting together with friends, or just watching TV. She was a voracious reader, a Scrabble and crossword expert, and a very talented sculptor. She continued to practice the piano daily, and still played beautifully. She was a political news junkie, always up on pop culture, and in recent years a devoted Jets fan.
We are thankful to her physician and friend Dr. Wayne Manishen and his colleague Dr. Dana Moffat; to Leona, Lettie and Dolores who assisted her in her home and treated her like a queen; to the gatekeepers at 141 Wellington Crescent, especially Chris, Hans, Randy and Tony; and to Drs. Jean Prenovault and Bruce Martin and the staff at Victoria General Hospital 4 North for their care and kindness.
Our mother was our comfort, our friend, our guide and our biggest supporter. All who knew her will miss her beautiful smile, humor, wisdom, kindness and gentle spirit. While our loss is beyond profound, what we had was so extraordinary, the only word that truly applies to us is Blessed.
Services were held Tuesday, January 28 at Congregation Etz Chayim officiated by Rabbi Kliel Rose and Cantor Tracy Kasner.
The eulogy was lovingly delivered on our behalf by David Weinberg.
Pallbearers were Jason Cristall, Allan Keisler, Daniel Koulack, The Honourable Shane Perlmutter, Kinzey Posen and Steven Raber.
Honorary Pallbearers were Melvyn Pollins and Richard Yaffe.
Donations in her memory can be made to The Canadian Music Competition/Winnipeg Chapter at www.cmcnational.com or to any organization serving Winnipeg’s homeless.
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.
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