MAXWELL HAROLD NELKO

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MAXWELL HAROLD NELKO June 3, 1919 - July 3, 2006 Surrounded by his family on July 3rd at Seven Oaks Hospital, Max peacefully passed away at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sally, and his children Wendy and Sam Wilder and Lynne and Henry Trachtenberg. His grandchildren, Lisa and Earl Raber, Jonathan and Kylie Wilder, Robbie and Buffie Trachtenberg, Steven Wilder, Jennifer Trachtenberg, and Michael Trachtenberg will miss him immeasurably. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Matthew, Megan, Ross and Mika, two brothers Ernie (Celeste) and Sid (Gwen), two sisters Sunny Yaffe and Claire (Paul) Granovsky. Born near Rovno Poland, Max immigrated to Canada at the age of ten. He graduated St. John's Technical High School, and easily perfected the English language thus allowing him to perform on CBC radio. Max and Sally spent twenty three years of their marriage working together in Portage la Prairie in their beloved studio-Maxwell Studios. He spent his leisure hours involved with Rotary, Bnai Brith, BarberShoppers, substituting at The Beth Israel Synagogue as their resident Chazzan , golfing and doing community work. They then moved to Florida. There they spent half their year selling Real Estate and the other half of the year enjoying their grandchildren at Winnipeg Beach. Max was the proverbial story teller, using English, Polish or Yiddish as his mode of communication ... and for that we will always remember him with a smile. In 1994 he suffered a stroke while undergoing heart bypass surgery. He amazingly recuperated, first with the aid of a walker and then a wheelchair, but was able to have a good quality of life ... because of the unwavering love of his devoted wife Sally. Funeral services were held at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, July 5th, 2006 - their 62nd wedding anniversary. In memory of Max, donations may be made to The Sally and Max Nelko fund at the Jewish Foundation - 477-7525.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 08, 2006