It is with great sadness that the family of Polly Tennenhouse announces her sudden passing on January 16, 2015.
Mom was born in 1919 in the small town of Ponevezh, Lithuania, which was renowned for its Yeshivot and education of Torah Scholars.
She was born into an orthodox family who by the grace of G-d were asked by relatives in Manitoba to move here prior to the Holocaust. Mom was always grateful for her good fortune as all of the Jews in Ponevezh were murdered in 1941.
Once here, Mom and her family lived on a farm in Stonewall. Eventually she met Dad who lived nearby and they were married in 1937. They had a wonderful marriage of 49 years and were each other’s confidants and best friends until Dad passed away in 1987. Together they raised their children in a home filled with love, respect and yiddishkeit.
Mom was a traditional homemaker who ensured, with Dad, that commitment to Judaism was paramount. There was synagogue every Saturday, a kosher home, the lighting of Shabbat candles and Jewish education for us. Mom and Dad taught us about the importance of family and the caring for others. These values provided the foundation of our development. They were not materialistic and did much for their community without fanfare or glory. One example is their help and rescue of family survivors of the Shoah who arrived in Winnipeg. Mom and Dad’s home was always open for those who needed a place to live or visit. Dad found them jobs and provided them with hope. Mom and Dad helped so many survivors and later Russian immigrants escape the darkness of Europe and find the light at 411 Bannerman Ave. and 773 Airlies St.
Mom and Dad were always at each other’s side. We were afraid for Mom after Dad died but she surprised us with her inner strength. She had her friends and family and enjoyed simple pleasures. With the help of many she lived in her own home without any lingering illness or pain until she quietly passed away by the kiss of G-d.
Mom was predeceased by her beloved husband, Lazer, and brother, Sam. She will be missed, most of all, by her children and spouses, Judy (Bill), Penny (Bill) and Howard (Susan), five granddaughters, Tracy (Jeff), Dana, Lauren, Ellie and Shira, two great grandsons, Nathan and Jonah and numerous nieces and nephews.
Many thanks to pallbearers, Ed, Morley, Bill, Jesse, Josh and Jonathan at the Chesed Shel Emes and later Susan, Lauren, Ellie, Shira, Tracy and Morley at Etz Chayim.
Special thanks to Mom’s doctor, Claire Jaeger, for her excellent care and sensitivity. Words cannot express our gratitude to Mom’s caregivers, Bathsheba, Grace and Marilyn who provided Mom with not only wonderful physical care but love and respect.
May her memory be a blessing and may her soul be bound up in the bond of life.
