JEWEL o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-12-11 published
GELBER,
Sylva
Malka, OC, LL.D.
93 years old, Sylva Malka
GELBER, whose years of activism in
pre-Israel Palestine eventually propelled her to be the first
director of the Canadian Department of Labour's Women's Bureau,
died on December 9th, 2003, of complications from a stroke. She
was 93 and lived in Ottawa.
During the heady years of pioneering in gains for women's rights
and Medicare in Canada during the 1960s and 70s, she travelled
the country, never shrill and always reasoned in her campaign
for equality for women in the country's labour force. She took
this pragmatic approach to the United Nations where she represented
Canada on the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women
between 1970 - 74.
A social and industrial activist at heart, she never lost her
zest for a good argument on those issues which had been part
of her adult life since she left her comfortable Toronto home
in the early 1930s for the turmoil of Jerusalem and Palestine.
There she became the first graduate of the Va'ad Leumi School
of Social Work - now the Faculty of Social Work of the Hebrew
University - and took on jobs incongruous with her upbringing
which had included schooling at Havergal College, a private girl's
school.
She worked in Palestine during the Mandate as a family counsellor,
a probation officer and medical social worker at Hadassah Hospital,
and then with the Palestine Department of Labour from 1942 -
48 when she returned to Canada. The adventuresome 15 years Sylva
GELBER lived in the turmoil of Palestine are chronicled with
affection, awe and frankness in ''No Balm in Gilead: A Personal
Retrospective of Mandate Days in Palestine'' published in 1989.
By the time she moved back to Canada, she could switch effortlessly
among Hebrew and Arabic and English which impressed no one in
bureaucratic Ottawa, but did startle the Capital's stuffy side,
she often noted mischievously.
Her deep red lipstick and nail polish when paired with her fast
sports cars belied the image of the traditional Ottawa civil
servant she could never be, despite distinguished and proud accomplishments
in promoting federal health insurance and Medicare until they
became the law of the land.
Along the way, she accepted many appointments to serve Canada
at International Labour Organization conferences, the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations
General Assembly. She was a member of the Order of Canada and
was awarded honorary degrees from several universities including
Queen's, Memorial, Trent, Guelph and Mount St. Vincent.
Sylva Malka
GELBER was born in 1910 in Toronto to Sara
(MORRIS)
and Louis GELBER.
Her father, a survivor of pogroms in Eastern
Europe, was determined that her four brothers, all of whom attended
Upper Canada College, and she, all receive worldly educations
beyond their specific Jewish community. She always admired her
father for this farsightedness in encouraging his children to
become part of a broader society.
At the University of Toronto, she produced plays. She sang spirituals
on a Toronto radio station, but her parents would have none of
a show business career. She was packed off to Columbia University
in New York; but even that did not satisfy her rambunctious spirit
and soon she was on her way to distant Palestine.
Never domesticated as women of her day usually were, she paid
little attention to her kitchen pantry when she finally settled
in Ottawa; but always gregarious, she loved to entertain around
the piano which she played by ear and with great gusto. Her library
of records and Compact Disks, was always in use as music filled
her life; and she has endowed an important annual prize through
The Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, which is granted to an outstanding
young Canadian musician at the early stage of his or her career.
In retirement, she energetically participated in the Canadian
Institute of International Affairs and the Wednesday Luncheon
Club of former cabinet ministers and civil servants, such as
her neighbour, Jack
PICKERSGILL, who thrashed over current political
issues.
Sylva GELBER was predeceased by her four brothers, Lionel, Marvin,
Arthur and Shalome Michael. She is survived by her four nieces
and their husbands, Nance
GELBER and Dan
BJARNASON,
Patty and
David RUBIN,
Judith
GELBER and Dan
PRESLEY, and Sara and Richard
CHARNEY, all of Toronto; her sister-in-law, Marianne
GELBER of
New York; four great nephews and a great niece, Gerald and Noah
RUBIN, and Adam, Andrew and Laura
CHARNEY; as well as cousins
Ruth JEWEL and David
EISEN; David
ALEXANDOR, and Ruth
GELBER
all of Toronto; and Ivan
CHORNEY and Betsy
RIGAL, both of Ottawa.
At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West
(1 light west of Dufferin) for service on Thursday, December
11, 2003 at 12: 00 noon. Interment Beth Tzedec Memorial Park.
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JEWELL o@ca.on.manitoulin.howland.little_current.manitoulin_expositor 2003-04-09 published
Robert (Bob)
BAKER
Died in St. Catharines, March 13, 2003 at the age of 81 years
Bob was predeceased by his wife Marie
{JEWELL}
Loving father of Garry, Len, Ken, Barb, Fred, Doris and Michael and 21
grandchildren. Bob made his home in Gore Bay for many years.
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JEWELL o@ca.on.manitoulin.howland.little_current.manitoulin_expositor 2003-09-17 published
John Carson
BRYAN
In loving memory of John Carson
BRYAN,
July 24, 1918 to September 8, 2003.
John C. BRYAN, a resident of Providence Bay, passed away peacefully at the Manitoulin Lodge
Nursing Home, Gore Bay on Monday, September 8, 2003 at the age of 85 years.
He was born in Spring Bay,
son of the late Robert H. and Mabel
(HEWITT)
BRYAN.
John was an avid reader with a great desire for knowledge. His hobbies included home
remodeling and he enjoyed building projects he designed. He had a
major role in the design and construction of the Manitoulin District
Cenotaph. He was a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy
during World War II. He later worked for the National Research
Council of the Canadian Government as an electrical design engineer.
In 1964, he and his family moved to the San Francisco, California
area where he worked for General Electric as an electrical engineer.
He retired in 1978 and returned to Providence Bay to enjoy his great
love of family and Manitoulin. He and Phyllis traveled extensively
during their retirement. John was also a member of Royal Canadian
Legion Br. #177 Little Current, Manitoulin and North Shore Naval
Veterans Association. He will be greatly missed by his family, Friends and comrades.
Beloved husband of Phyllis
(MacINNIS)
BRYAN of Providence Bay.
Dearly loved father of Wayne
BRYAN of Winnipeg, J. Marlene
JEWELL and
husband William of Ithaca, New York and Gregory
BRYAN and wife
Stephanie of Los Angeles. Proud grandfather of Jeffrey and Erica.
Dear brother of Gordon
BRYAN (wife
Betty deceased.) Predeceased by
sister Idena
MORGAN and husband Reginald and brother Roy
BRYAN and
his wife Jean. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Friends called the Providence Bay United Church on Friday, September
12, 2003. The funeral service was conducted from the church on
Saturday, September 13, 2003 with Reverend Mary Jo
ECKERT
TRACY officiating. Cremation to follow.
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JEWISON o@ca.on.manitoulin.howland.little_current.manitoulin_expositor 2003-01-15 published
Maryann Catherine
VERNER
In loving memory of Mary Ann Catherine
VERNER,
June 9, 1939 to January 6, 2003.
Maryann VERNER, a resident of R. R. #1, Evansville, passed away at
the Manitoulin Health Centre, Mindemoya, on Monday, January 6, 2003
at the age of 63 years. She was born in Toronto, daughter of the
late Wesley and Catherine
DAY.
Mary
Ann was a graduate of the Royal
Conservatory of Music, and through her talents as a musician, had a
wide range of experience, having played for the Billy Graham Crusade,
the People's Church in Toronto, organist at Centennial Rouge Church
in Toronto for 10 years, and organist at Lyon's Memorial United
Church in Gore Bay for about 12 years. Before her marriage to Harry
on December 19, 1959, she had worked as an assistant at CBC, working
with Norman
JEWISON in Toronto and New York. She had also worked as
a secretary for Eaton's and Capitol Records. She also enjoyed
handcrafts, but her greatest enjoyment was her music and family.
Dearly loved wife of Harry
VERNER of Evansville loved mother of
Catherine and husband Doug
REIMER of Scarborough Gregory and wife
Sherry of Sault Ste. Marie James and wife Terry of Burnt River and
Amy, friend Paul
MILLER of Hamilton. Proud grandmother of Stephen,
Jacob, Kari, Justin, Silken, Nathan and Sarah and three great grandchildren.
The funeral service was conducted at the Burpee Mills Complex on
Thursday, January 9, 2003 with Reverend Mary Jo Eckert Tracy and Mr.
Erwin Thompson officiating. Spring interment in Mills Cemetery.
Culgin Funeral Home
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JEWISON o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-04-03 published
Valetta May
ROSE
By Jim PATTERSON
Thursday,
April 3, 2003 - Page A22
Valetta May
ROSE
Domestic worker, farmer and comic writer's muse. Born in Warsaw,
Ontario, January 9, 1912. Died January 16, in Toronto, of a stroke,
aged 91.
On January 16, 2003, Valetta
ROSE, 91, spoke with her brother,
Ken DRAIN, and her niece, Dora
BARR, by phone from her home in
Norwood, Ontario Then she got into a limousine to go to a large
family party in Toronto, to celebrate her nephew David
PATTERSON's
birthday. On the way, she sat with her great-nephew Paul, his
partner Cathy and their six-week-old daughter, Kira, and was
delighted to have the baby beside her for the trip.
There were more than 100 people at the party, but Valetta held
court, greeting family members. Then, at 7 p.m., she suffered
a stroke, and died instantly in her daughter Beattie's arms.
Born on January 9, 1912, Valetta was the second child of David
DRAIN and Christina
EDWARDS, who farmed near Warsaw, Ontario
The DRAIN household was full of fiddle, piano and song; people
arrived by horse and sled for music in the parlour, food in the
kitchen and children everywhere. When Valetta's mother went into
labour to deliver her sister Cora, Valetta's older brother Ivan
was told to take his 20-month-old sister to grandma's house.
Ivan was 3 and the house was two kilometres away -- but those
were different times. Off the pair toddled, perfectly capable
and perfectly safe.
As teenagers, Valetta and Cora set off for Toronto to work as
domestics, eventually earning a respectable $25 per month plus
room and board.
In 1943, Valetta married the love of her life, Ted
ROSE.
They
farmed together outside Warsaw for 32 years. One night just after
they were married, they went to Peterborough to see a movie.
Afterward, walking up George Street, Valetta mused aloud about
how lovely it would be to own a bedroom suite like the one in
a store's display window. The next day, Ted came home with the
furniture. Valetta never did discover how he'd afforded it.
In 1975, Ted and Valetta sold the farm and retired to Norwood.
Ted died in 1987.
Last year, Valetta set off for Scotland with her daughters Beattie
and Judy, their husbands, Bob
BECHTEL and David
GORDON, and Judy
and David's two sons, Ian and Paul. Valetta announced, "On this
trip, I just want to enjoy being all together." For three weeks,
they drove around staying at bed and breakfasts and exploring
the islands off the north coast. She was planning another trip
this year -- to Judy's home in Vancouver.
For 40 years, Valetta followed the advice of one Dr.
JARVIS,
whose book Folk Medicine taught the benefits of lecithin, and
she followed his prescription for a daily teaspoon of apple cider
vinegar mixed with honey in a half glass of water to keep herself
free from the worst of arthritis and other afflictions. Valetta
knew that the secret of caring for others was simply to enjoy
their company and, as the family "Information Central," loved
to share stories of their successes.
She had her own place in Canadian cultural history. Filmmaker
Norman JEWISON, a cousin, mentioned Valetta to writer Don
HARRON,
who immediately claimed her for use as the wife of his fictional
character Charlie
FARQUHARSON.
Soon
Valetta was credited with
writing down Charlie's Hist'ry of Canada on those days when it
was "too wet to plough." A highlight of Valetta's 90th birthday
party was a card and framed photo from her "second husband."
Valetta made the best of every minute. She spent her last night
on the bed that Ted had bought for her so many years before.
Her spirit will delight family and Friends for years to come.
Jim PATTERSON is Valetta's sister Cora's youngest son. He was
helped by Beattie, Ken, Cora
HENDREN and Stephen
PATTERSON.
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