SARAH (SOOKY) NARVEY

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SARAH (SOOKY) NARVEY (formerly TADMAN) (nee SHWARTZ) Loved by her entire family. Respected by all who knew her. The rest is detail. Sooky died peacefully on March 18, 2010, at Riverview Health Centre, surrounded by her husband, her children and their love. Predeceased by her parents, Joe and Bessie Shwartz; her sister Fay Wincure and brother-in-law Dave; brother Issie and sister-in-law Vera; sister Ricky Handler; her first husband, Jack, and her daughter, Sandi. Survived by her loving husband, Mel; their children, Roberta (Fred), Martin (Shelley), Carol (Larry), Arthur and Bernie (Barb); grandchildren Esther-Lyn (Jay), Joel (Jill), Bryan (Stella), Eli, Shayna, Jack and Emma; brother-in-law Harold Narvey and sister-in-law Mildred; brother-in-law Robert Handler; special sister May Tallman (Dan) as well as great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Born in Chastiehvoteh, Russia, and raised in the north end of Winnipeg, Sooky married Jack Tadman in 1943. Together they had 2 sons, Marty and Arthur. Jack died in 1963 leaving Sooky, at age 39, a widow with a 15 year old and a 12 year old and the necessity of being both mother and father. To her sons, Sooky was our rock. We knew nothing could harm us: Sooky simply would not let it happen. What a sense of security we had! She became to us, and will always be, our hero. In 1969, Sooky met and married Mel Narvey. Theirs was a love story that began when they met and never waned. Perhaps because they had endured tragedy in their lives (both were widowed at young ages), they each viewed having found the other a miracle. And that love and appreciation for each other was easy to see by anyone who spent time with them. For forty years Sooky had the luxury of being married to a man who loved her totally; who was happiest when she was happy; whose gentleness and decency were the only way he knew how to be. And Sooky appreciated those qualities and adored him. Theirs was a healing love. By the time Sooky and Mel married, Roberta and Carol had left home - Roberta to marriage and Carol to university. Sandi and Bernie were still home and there was a Bar Mitzvah to be planned. Sooky got right to work. In her wisdom, Sooky knew she would never replace Esther in the hearts of her children but, with kindness and love, she earned her own place there. And that is what mattered most and above all to Sooky: family. She loved getting together with her siblings: when the Dolly Sisters were together, laughs were guaranteed. Their deaths - first Fay, then Issie, then Ricky, were devastating to her. Both Sooky and Mel sagged under the weight of Sandi's illness and untimely death. Still, she was happiest when surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved them all; they were her joy and her naches. Pallbearers were her grandchildren Bryan Kravitz, Esther-Lyn Goldberger, Shayna Hoffman, Eli Hoffman, Jack Tadman and her nephew, Micheal Handler. Honourary pallbearers were Robert Handler, Fred Kravitz, Larry Hoffman, Roberta Malam, Larry Shwartz, Lorraine Serlin, Ron Zimberg, Barbara Zimberg, Rhonda Wincure and Joel Braemer. In her last months, Sooky had the attention of caregivers who attended not only to her physical needs but to her need for respect and dignity. Thank you to Lynne Fineman for co-ordinating and managing Sooky's health care regimen. Aurora, Leilani, Myrna, Posita, Queenie, Rosie and Victoria: you have the respect, admiration and gratitude of Sooky's family. A special thank you to Rabbi Larry Pinsker for his sensitive attention throughout Sooky's illness; to Dr. Kathy Pickard, Sooky's personal and caring physician; and to Dr. Robin McClure, Nurse Anne and the entire staff at Riverview Health Centre, where Sooky and her family received wonderfully attentive and empathetic care. If friends are so inclined, donations may be made in Sooky's memory to The Jewish Foundation of Manitoba or Riverview Health Centre Foundation. Of Blessed Memory Rest in Peace

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 03, 2010