Obituaries
SARA HOCHMAN
With love and sadness in our hearts we announce the peaceful passing of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, Sara Hochman. Sara passed away at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 16, 2022 just 2 days after reaching her 100th birthday on April 14.
She was born during Passover and passed away during Passover 100 years later. For 58 years Sara was happily married to her husband Sam Hochman who predeceased her in 2008. Sara was the daughter of Celia and Sam Davis who predeceased her. She is also predeceased by her brother Louis Davis and sisters Annette Gordon and Rosetta Isenstein all of Calgary, Alberta. She is survived by her children Marcy and Barry Schwartz and Susan and Arnold Permut; cherished grandchildren Cara and Danny Stoller, Jill and Geoffrey Abraham, Hart Schwartz and Mandy Valin, Janie and Jeff Gilbert; beloved great-grandchildren Jacob, Josh and Alex Stoller; Joey and Sam Abraham; Zoe and Sam Gilbert. She is also survived by many dear nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 19 graveside at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Matthew Leibl, whom we wish to thank for his guidance and painting a beautiful picture of Sara with his eulogy. Thank you to the pallbearers, Cara, Danny, Jacob, Josh Alex Stoller and Jeff Gilbert. Honourary pallbearers were Butch Hochman, Marna Ramsey, Gerald Rosenby and Syd Halprin.
Sara was born in Rowley, Alberta on April 14,1922. She spent the first 15 years of her life in the small Alberta town of Rockyford. At the age of 8 she showed an interest and talent in playing the piano. The Davis family did not have a piano but the convent located near by did. The nuns offered to give Sara piano lessons. She excelled and the nuns eventually asked her to play the piano at Sunday services, which she did every Sunday until the age of 15 when the family moved to Calgary.
After high school and business college Sara worked as a medical secretary at The Colonel Belcher Convalescent Hospital. She enjoyed playing music to the patients and staff. In 1949 Sara moved to Winnipeg and met and married Sam Hochman. They enjoyed 58 years together. Sara always loved music. She maintains that she was born with the “Gift Of Music”. She felt that this blessing should be shared with others, particularly hospitals and nursing homes. She dedicated her life to a full volunteer musical career for over 60 years. She was providing music therapy before the term music therapy was recognized.
Sara was honoured with several awards during her volunteer career. Those included are the B’nai Brith Women’s Charlotte Meyers Memorial Service Tribute Award 1973; twice inscribed in the “Book of Life” at the B’nai Brith Children’s Home in Bat Vagan, Israel; Shem Tov Community Volunteer Award Jewish Federation. Sara felt very honoured to receive these awards. She always said “Her greatest reward was the positive response of the residents to her music” She loved and was loved by the Sharon Home/Simkin Centre residents. She made many lasting, loving relationships as well with the staff of the recreation department. Many other organizations were the recipients of Sara’s music-to name a few Gwen Secter Creative Living, Rady Centre, Deer Lodge Centre, many hospitals and nursing homes.
Music was not Sara’s only talent. She was a wonderful cook, baker and hostess. Many new arrivals to Winnipeg and many from other countries were invited to join our family at Friday dinner or other holidays.
Sara wanted a thank you to go out Dr Nadar Roman for great care and treating Sara so respectfully and to Dr Alan Finkleman for taking such good dental care. Thank you to the Simkin Centre staff for the care and respect given Sara. Many thanks to Dr. Louis Chung for his compassionate care to Sara and her family. A thank you is also extended to the caring staff of the Shaftesbury Retirement Residence where Sara lived for 8 years. Thank yous would not be complete without a thank you to the group of people whom our family relied on. The people we are referring to are Sara’s companions. A heartfelt thank you to Marie De LaCruz, Marian Candelaria and Maria Labao. Thank you for providing so much care, love and respect to Sara. Our family will always remember the three of you.
In 1999 Sara was honoured for 40 years of volunteer music therapy at the Simkin Centre. At that time The Sara Hochman Music Therapy Endowment Fund was established. We would appreciate donations to be directed to that fund at the Simkin Centre or to a charity of your choice.
Obituaries
MARK BERNARD SCHACTER
May 12, 1946 – October 19, 2025
We are sad to announce that Mark Schacter died peacefully in Vancouver on October 19, 2025, at age 79.
He was born in Winnipeg on May 12, 1946, and moved to Vancouver at the age of 22 to seek his fortune, and lived and worked there for the rest of his life, in a number of careers. He was a raconteur, a free spirit, a sports fan, a close observer of current events, and a good friend to many, as far away as Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles. He attended the Canada-Russia hockey series in Moscow in 1972, flew on the Concorde to London, and went to Rio for Carnival on a number of occasions.
He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law Brent Schacter and Sora Ludwig, nieces Miriam Stoller (Michael), Isanne Schacter, and Jennifer Schacter (Neil Rockman), grandnieces Reina and Maddie Stoller, Beatrice Schacter, and Sally Rockman, and grandnephew Jacob Rockman.
He was laid to rest in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery near his parents on October 22, 2025. May his memory be a blessing.
Donations in his memory may be made to Yaletown House (www.yaletown.org) where he resided or to the charity of your choice.
Obituaries
GLORIA GERSHMAN
Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Gloria Beatrice Gershman (née Lipchen), lived 95 remarkable years filled with love, laughter, resilience, generosity, a youthful spirit and a touch of mischief. Gloria passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
She was predeceased by her parents Rose and Nathan Lipchen, her husband George Gershman in 2016 and her grandson Jesse Short-Gershman in 2014. Gloria is survived by her three children: Darryl (Diane), Shelley (David), and Stu (Niki), eight grandchildren: Rachel, Daniel (Yeraldin), Mike (Hannah), Kara, Emily, Ashley (Andy), Max, Zak, and two great-grandchildren Ari and Grayson.
Born in Winnipeg on November 27, 1929, Gloria spent her early childhood in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, before returning to Winnipeg in 1940. Gloria and George married in 1949, residing in Winnipeg until moving to Miami, Florida in 1958 and returning to Winnipeg in 1961.
Gloria attended business college and worked at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and Glendale Golf Course. She volunteered in the community conducting hearing tests for elementary school children.
To our family, Gloria was our biggest supporter, our safe place, our guiding voice, and our example of what it means to be strong, independent, loyal, resilient, and generous. Gloria was known for her wonderful sense of humour and occasional salty language.
Gloria’s talents included sewing, knitting, needle working, cooking, baking, gardening and bowling. The family loved her homemade cookies.
She was devoted to her grandchildren and shared a special and unique relationship with each of them. She adored every moment she spent with Ari and Grayson, who brought her joy in her later years.
Gloria was a regular with the super seniors at the local McDonalds. During the Covid pandemic, she and her friends held “parking lot gatherings” at McDonald’s, sitting in their cars, chatting through windows, laughing, and refusing to let isolation dull their spirits.
She was an unofficial counsellor and second mother for many of our friends, offering warmth, insight, honesty, and love.
Gloria cheered (sometimes colourfully) for her Winnipeg Blue Bomber and Jets, rarely missing a televised game.
Mom wanted her family to live their best lives; Mom’s memory will forever be a blessing and legacy for her loving family.
Among the many people we thank, we give a special thanks to Dr. Ify Osagie and mom’s dear health care companion Tess Barillos.
Graveside funeral was held on October 20, 2025, at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Donations in Gloria’s memory may be made to the Buddy Check for Jesse Society, supporting youth mental health in honour of her grandson: https://buddycheckforjesse.com/ donate/
Obituaries
MARC AARON COHEN
It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Marc Aaron Cohen on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the age of 55, following a brave battle with cancer.
Survived by his parents Lawrence and Dolly (Reesa) Cohen, sister Michelle (Ben) Levich, nephew Seth Levich, auntie Deanna Cohen, uncle Sherv Sharagge, and many cousins.
Marc was in love with his career. He was passionate about trucking and was good at it, wearing several hats during his career. He was a dispatcher, a long haul and local trucker, and an instructor to new truckers, while working for several trucking companies including Quick Transfer, Big Freight, and Gershman Transport. Marc received numerous awards and recognitions during his career including the Elite Award for Excellence in Performance in 2014 and 2015 from Big Freight. His commitment to the trucking industry led him to be chosen for the Industry Excellence Award in 2015 from the Manitoba Trucking Association.
Marc’s second love was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Being on his motorcycle brought him so much joy. He loved playing, watching and coaching football. He was active in the Nomad Football Club. Being outdoors in any kind of weather was his favorite place to be.
The family would like to thank the amazing staff at Brightwater Tuxedo, Health Science Center, and St Boniface Hospital. We are grateful for the compassionate care they provided Marc.
Donations in Marc’s memory can be made to Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation. 204-787-4143.