JANETTE LILLIAN GUTTMAN

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JANETTE LILLIAN GUTTMAN Janette Lillian Guttman passed away peacefully on March 15, 2006 at the age of 95. She was predeceased in 2001 by her husband of almost 60 years, Dr. Alex Guttman. She will be sadly missed by her children, Tannis and Marshall Peikoff; her grandchildren, Elana and Jonathan Manson and Heather and John Diamond; and her great-grandchildren, Ryan Manson and Ben and Alex Diamond. One of her last requests was that her funeral be a celebration of her life rather than a time of extreme sadness. Indeed, one can celebrate hers as a life well-lived. She made a difference in many lives: in those of her family, her students, and just about anyone who came into contact with her. Janette grew up in Montreal. From an early age, she loved the performing arts. She became an accomplished pianist, giving concerts at the age of eight and winning a national competition at 16. She loved to dance, and together with her three younger sisters performed in Minstrel Shows to entertain the troops during the war. Janette came to Winnipeg as Alex Guttman's bride. She immersed herself in organizations such as Eastern Star, National Council of Jewish Women, and the Jewish Women's Musical Club, later becoming its president. She was also instrumental in building the Talmud Torah Hebrew School. She became president of the PTA and later president of the Hebrew Children's Theatre. As the eldest of five children, Janette had quit school at an early age in order to help support her family. In her 40s, she attended evening classes to complete her high school education. She went on to University, attending classes with her daughter, Tannis. She then went on to Teachers' College. She taught language arts in the River East division for 13 years. Janette also became involved in ballroom dancing. She won a number of gold medals in international competitions, winning her last medal at age 90. She also took up belly dancing and later used this skill to improve the lives of seniors. Even people in wheelchairs were taught arm movements so that they too could express themselves through dance. After she and Alex retired, they moved to Israel where they lived for 15 years. Janette never got old. At 90 she gave a guest lecture at the University of Manitoba. At 94 she taught bridge and was herself playing on the internet. At 95 and up until a few months before her passing she did regular pilates classes. And of course she had a personal trainer. She taught us ways of thinking that will continue to influence our lives: that life is an adventure, that we have to try to understand rather than condemn, and that nothing is impossible. This note, recently written by a friend, is a confirmation of her influence on others: Your mother's life shined brightly for a good many years. We will always remember her unquenchable zest for life, her abounding energy, and her raw courage to pursue what she believed in. Her life was like a star on the horizon inviting us all to live well and to make the best use of the time allotted to each of us. Her time has past but we remember her. The family would like to thank Dr. Brian Penner for his compassion and care that far exceeded the call of duty. We would also like to thank her caregivers for their kind and compassionate care.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 01, 2006