Shirley Morry passed away in Winnipeg on August 20, 2024.

Predeceased by her parents, Sally and Sam Slotnikov and survived by Julius Morry, her beloved husband of 67 years, her loving children, Howard (Hope), Jeff (Sarah), Marla (Ibrahim) and Karyn (Mark), her grandchildren, Josh (Sam), Samantha (Steve), Ben, Matthew and Joel, her sister Helen and nephew Gary. She will be missed by her many cousins and friends.

Shirley grew up in in a proud Jewish home in the fabled North End of Winnipeg. She had a quiet strength, dignity and purpose that made her a loyal friend. Her main purpose in life, as she saw it, was to raise her family. Dad once said to her “the kids are yours until they’re 10”, but 10 years turned into a lifetime, because Shirley never stopped being a mom. She was especially close to her girls, whom she spoke to every day, regardless of where they were. Those calls gave Marla and Karyn a lifetime of love and wisdom. Mom was their champion, their cheerleader, their confidante, with an innate ability to make them feel everything was going to work out. She showed us the true meaning of humility, they said. Mom also loved her boys. She knew the road to Jeff’s heart was through his stomach and made him all his favourites when he visited once a week, more for love and wisdom than for the peanut butter cookies. Jeff defined that wisdom as acceptance, embracing imperfections with an open heart. She instilled in him the value of grace under pressure, he said, a true role model for how to treat others. Early on, Mom entrusted Howard, often with more responsibility than he thought he could handle, which allowed him to aim high and risk failure, a subtle but essential life lesson. The family holds fond memories of summers spent at Falcon Lake and Winnipeg Beach. It is only looking back that we realize our endless summers were made possible by Mom looking after endless lunches and laundry. Howard watched as Mom embraced his wife Hope and his own kids, Josh and Samantha, who developed a close and loving relationship with their grandmother. As Shirley’s only granddaughter, Samantha loved “Bobby” to talk, as she put it. At the end of the day, it was more girl-talk than anything. Shirley loved Jeff’s wife, Sarah, and was so proud of their kids, her grandkids, Ben, Matthew and Joel, who had sleepovers when they were young and maintained a close relationship with Bobby all her life. Shirley was also close to Karyn’s partner, Mark, who was a big support to Mom during her health challenge, as well as to Karyn, who never left Mom’s side during that difficult time.

Shirley was raised by a force of nature, her mother, Sally. Bobby Sally, as we called her, lived on in Mom, as did her dad, Sam Slotnikov, a moral superhero who volunteered to serve in the Second World War at age 32. Shirley was a role model for her sister, Helen, who called Shirley her best friend. Her greatest adventure started when she met her bashert, Julius Morry, at a YMHA dance in 1954. Dad was full of big ideas and knew what he wanted from life, and that included a life partner who would share his dreams. He and his friends were finding it hard meeting Jewish girls, so Dad went to the head of the YMHA and proposed a monthly dance, where he would look after everything. Within a couple of months, the YMHA Dance was attracting 250 to 300 kids a month. A lot of marriages came out of those dances, including his own. He went to one fateful dance with his date, who introduced him to her best friend, Shirley Slotnikov. He remembers exactly what she was wearing, the colour of her skirt and hair. When he found out her Yiddish name was Tsipie, he decided he would never call her anything else. A couple of weeks later, he asked Tsipie to go steady, she said no, she was too young, so he asked her out every week, week after week, and she always said yes. Afraid to ask for her hand in marriage, one day he said, “when we’re married…”, and when Tsipie didn’t protest, he bought her a ring and booked the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. In the end, Mom wanted nothing more than to attend her grandson Josh’s wedding to his bashert, Sam Holloway. She lived to see the wedding ceremony on a live video feed from New York City, where the Rabbi gave her a shout out from the Bima. Mom was so proud of her loving family that day.

Mom, Bobby, Shirley, Tsipie, you are forever in our hearts. You live on in Dad, in us, in our kids, and soon in theirs. We will get through this together, as you would have wanted. As a family. As your family. We are grateful to Rabbi Matthew Leibl, who led a graveside service at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery followed by a meal of consolation at the Asper Jewish community Campus and a shiva at Howard and Hope’s home. The pallbearers were Shirley’s beloved grandchildren and her nephew, Gary. Donations may be made to The Shirley and Julius Morry Leave More Than Memories Endowment at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba or to the charity of your choice.

With immense sadness, we announce the passing of Janice Wege on August 20, 2024.

Janice was predeceased by her parents Gwen and Joe Goldberg. Her legacy features, but will refuse to be limited to, a lifetime of love, wonderful memories and selfless accomplishments. It will be carried forward by all those who had the fortune of being close to her. Her husband: Doug Wege; children and grandchildren: Jeff Wege, Morgan Wege and Marjie McMullin (Riley, Mia, Nathan, Gracelyn, and Chloe); sisters and their families: Maxine and Alex Segall, Susan and Steven Rosenberg, and Elaine and Ed Clairmont. She also leaves behind many who cared deeply for her: nieces, nephews, cousins and life-long friends.

Janice grew up on Aikins Street in Winnipeg, attending Peretz School and later St. Johns High School, Red River College and many continuing education and professional development programs. She raised her family with a loving hand, she was a devoted caregiver, and her children always came first. Janice was a gentle parent long before gentle parenting was a known term.

Janice devoted her professional life to children as well through her work as a Child Development Worker in the Day Hospital program at Mount Carmel Clinic, and later as an Educational Assistant at Lansdowne School. She was truly gifted with both the ability to find joy in even the smallest of a child’s accomplishments, and the patience to nurture those accomplishments into impactful growth. Working with what some would consider to be a “countless” number of children over her career, “Mme. Jan” (as she came to be known at Lansdowne) remembered each one fondly.

It’s only fitting that Janice came to enjoy a large family of her own with five grandchildren. Her grandchildren will always cherish memories of visits and sleepovers with Baba and their excursions to the Zoo, museums, shopping and “Ash’s Park”. She had a special relationship with each of them individually and unique traditions that they will carry with them forever.

A graveside service was held at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on Friday August 23. If family and friends wish to honour Janice’s memory, a donation to a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Dr. Eugene Marks (affectionately known as Gino), devoted husband of Karla Marks (nee Rayman), cherished father of Lana Marks Pulver and Kerri Marks Chetner, their spouses, Doug Pulver and Rob Chetner and adored grandfather to Benny, Chloe, Max and Lola.

Eugene was born in Winnipeg Manitoba, and was raised in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan by his parents, Harry and Jean Markovitch and was a big brother to Karen Trester (nee Markovich). His upbringing deeply influenced his commitment to his Jewish values.

Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, Eugene came from humble beginnings. He learned business by helping his parents in their General Store and how to play hockey on an outdoor frozen pond with frozen horse dung as his puck. He excelled at school in his one room schoolhouse.

He attended University of Manitoba to become a dentist and after practicing for three years attended NYU and Albert Einstein Medical Center to become an Oral Maxilla Facial Surgeon. After a short stint in Hamilton, Ontario, Eugene and family moved to Vancouver in 1970, where he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Perry Trester, later joined by Tony David, and they formed the practice called, Trester, Marks and David. Together they built a successful business in four different locations in the lower mainland for over 40 years and were known to have hosted the most infamous holiday parties for the dental community. What was a successful business partnership grew into a trusting and extremely close relationship. In addition to performing surgery both in office and hospital, he taught at UBC’s School of Dentistry and was a respected mentor to many. Eugene served as the Chief of Oral Maxilla Facial Surgery at Lion’s Gate Hospital in West Vancouver for many years.

Eugene’s first love was his family. He adored his wife, Karla, to whom he was married for almost 60 years. Committed to their relationship, he had a deep appreciation for his beautiful and wise life partner. He was a proud and devoted father and grandfather. His eyes lit up at the site of his daughters and any one of his grandchildren. He also loved spending time and celebrating many auspicious occasions with his belated in-laws, Benny and Evelyn Rayman and his multitude of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and niece whether he was hosting them in his home or visiting them in theirs. Eugene cherished his friendships, treating his friends as though they were part of his own family.

Eugene had a zest for life. He thoroughly enjoyed pursuing his passions for hockey, both playing and watching, golf, poker, reading, opera, skiing, travelling the world and spending time in nature. He also was a respected leader in his community, serving as a Regent of Alpha Omega, a board member of several organizations and regular canvasser for Federation.

He will be fondly remembered for his profound teachings, with the favourites being to never forget the things you do, only the things you don’t and to savour life moments by taking a mental cocktail. Above all, he will be most missed for his presence, guidance, wisdom, and unwavering love.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Dr. Eugene and Karla Marks Endowment Fund, at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Vancouver, (604) 257-5100 https://jewishcommunityfoundation.com/tribute-cards/donation-form/ or the charity of your choice.