HESTER LEE KROFT

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HESTER LEE KROFT

October 27, 1934 -

December 15, 2025

Hester Kroft (née Israels) passed away peacefully in Winnipeg surrounded by her family she so deeply loved. She was a cultured, thoughtful and principled woman whose life was shaped by devotion to family, education, community, Judaism and Israel. An English teacher by training and temperament, she believed words mattered and that clarity of language reflected clarity of thought.

Family was Hester's greatest pride. Together with her husband Guy, her high-school sweetheart, she created a home defined by warmth, curiosity and deep mutual respect. She raised four children, Jonathan (Cara), Debbie (Morley), David (Ellen) and Sarah (Jeff) and treated them all as equals. She believed siblings should not only love one another but genuinely like one another and always have each other's backs. She succeeded. Her children and their spouses are close friends and her grandchildren, Charlie (Alyssa), Daniel, Emily, Benjamin, Julia, Sally, Matthew, Sam, Joel and Adam and great-grandchild Gio are friends with one another in ways that give shape and meaning to the word family.

Hester and Guy also loved and genuinely liked their own siblings and parents. But they also adopted each other's parents and siblings. Guy's parents, Heloise and Charlie Kroft, were Hester's parents just as Hester's parents, Sally and Monte Israels, were Guy's parents. Guy saw Hester's sister, Renée (Milton), as his own sister and Hester embraced Guy's brother, Richard (Hillaine), as her own brother.

Hester did not teach her values through lectures. She taught them by example. She and Guy modeled loyalty, kindness and respect across generations. She had a sense of deep fulfillment and pride from watching her family support one another and stand together even in her final days.

An accomplished educator, Hester taught junior high school English and left a lasting impression on students who remembered her thoughtful expression decades later. When she was required to step away from teaching to raise her family, she redirected her intellect and leadership toward community service during a time when women were rarely invited into such roles.

She served on the boards of Mount Carmel Clinic, Villa Rosa and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. She was the first woman to serve as president of the Rady Jewish Community Centre and held senior leadership roles with the United Way of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Jewish Community Council. Guided by Tikkun Olam, the Jewish belief in healing the world through good deeds and justice, she worked quietly and effectively to strengthen institutions that continue to serve the community.

Hester loved books, theatre and conversation. She believed beauty elevated daily life and made sure her home and every table she set were works of art beyond mere function.

Hester carried herself with elegance and formed deep, lifelong friendships. She loved to travel, as long as it never kept her from home for too long, and treasured the beautiful memories her family created at the Falcon Lake cottage. Her remarkable legacy lives on through her loved ones.

The family thanks Hing, Hester's long-time housekeeper and friend, Dr. Grant Goldberg and caregivers Maria Taflan, her mother Cathy and Dilai.

Hester's memory is a blessing guiding generations forward. Her wisdom, love, and joy uplifted everyone around her, leaving a lasting mark on our lives and the world. We mourn her as family, as friends and as a wider community.

Donations in Hester's memory may be made to the Hester and Guy Kroft Family Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba or a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 03, 2026