ELLEN RIPSTEIN

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ELLEN RIPSTEIN Ellen Ripstein died peacefully, Monday, July 22, 2013 surrounded by family after a brief illness at the age of 90. She was born in Wiesbaden Germany, in 1922, and predeceased by her parents Adolf and Irma Blumenthal, her sister Ruth Mesritz and her husband Reginald Ripstein. She grew up in a wealthy and comfortable household, but when she was 11 years old, the Nazis came to power and everything changed. She spent six months in boarding school in England, and then moved with her family to Amsterdam. During the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, she was protected by the Herrndorf family. She was a member of the Dutch underground in Amsterdam, smuggling documents and sometimes weapons. Her blonde hair and perfect German enabled her to calmly talk her way past murderous guards. After the war she was recruited by the OSS (precursor of the CIA) to work as a spy, but she declined. In 1947 she spent a year in New York, and then, in 1948 moved to Winnipeg with the Herrndorfs. Canadian immigration officials were unwilling to grant her a visa, but Stanley Knowles, who was at the time a member of Parliament, intervened. In 1948, weeks after arriving in Winnipeg, she became the first woman stockbroker in Canada, a profession in which she worked until seven weeks before her death. In 1956 she married Reginald Ripstein, the love of her life. They had two sons, Ira and Arthur. She was a pioneer in combining a successful professional life with being a completely devoted mother. Even into her late eighties, she remembered every trade she had made, and her good spirits were buoyed even further when the market was up. She was a friend and mentor to many people in the brokerage business. She was also a person of strong opinions, who never hesitated to let people know what she thought. She often said "I did not survive the war by doing what other people expected me to." She is survived by her sons, Ira Ripstein (Elske Hildes-Ripstein) and Arthur Ripstein (Karen Weisman) and by her grandchildren, Jonathan, Zev, Talia, Yael, Aviva and Noah Ripstein, as well as Fred and Peter Herrndorf and Kiki Delaney. Funeral services were held at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Tuesday, July 23. Donations can be made to the Ellen and Reg Ripstein Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, Suite C400, 123 Doncaster St., Winnipeg, MB R3N 2B2 or charity of choice.
Publish Date: Jul 27, 2013

ELLEN RIPSTEIN Ellen Ripstein died peacefully, Monday, July 22, 2013 surrounded by family after a brief illness at the age of 90. She was born in Wiesbaden Germany, in 1922, and predeceased by her parents Adolf and Irma Blumenthal, her sister Ruth Mesritz and her husband Reginald Ripstein. She grew up in a wealthy and comfortable household, but when she was 11 years old, the Nazis came to power and everything changed. She spent six months in boarding school in England, and then moved with her family to Amsterdam. During the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, she was protected by the Herrndorf family. She was a member of the Dutch underground in Amsterdam, smuggling documents and sometimes weapons. Her blonde hair and perfect German enabled her to calmly talk her way past murderous guards. After the war she was recruited by the OSS (precursor of the CIA) to work as a spy, but she declined. In 1947 she spent a year in New York, and then, in 1948 moved to Winnipeg with the Herrndorfs. Canadian immigration officials were unwilling to grant her a visa, but Stanley Knowles, who was at the time a member of Parliament, intervened. In 1948, weeks after arriving in Winnipeg, she became the first woman stockbroker in Canada, a profession in which she worked until seven weeks before her death. In 1956 she married Reginald Ripstein, the love of her life. They had two sons, Ira and Arthur. She was a pioneer in combining a successful professional life with being a completely devoted mother. Even into her late eighties, she remembered every trade she had made, and her good spirits were buoyed even further when the market was up. She was a friend and mentor to many people in the brokerage business. She was also a person of strong opinions, who never hesitated to let people know what she thought. She often said "I did not survive the war by doing what other people expected me to." She is survived by her sons, Ira Ripstein (Elske Hildes-Ripstein) and Arthur Ripstein (Karen Weisman) and by her grandchildren, Jonathan, Zev, Talia, Yael, Aviva and Noah Ripstein, as well as Fred and Peter Herrndorf and Kiki Delaney. Funeral services will be held at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, 561 Wellington Crescent at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 23, 2013. Shiva at 10 Dumfires Place.
Publish Date: Jul 23, 2013

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 27, 2013