KAREN LUKS

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KAREN LUKS Peacefully, on Friday, January 25, 2008 Karen passed away at Riverview Health Centre after living with ALS for the past five and a half years. Karen was born on February 9, 1959 in Montreal, Quebec. She attended school in Quebec and university in Kitchner, Ontario. In 1989 she moved from Ottawa to Winnipeg. In the years that followed Karen along with her partner, Gio, were blessed to be part of a community that celebrated love, friendship, food, culture, creativity, spirituality and social justice. Karen challenged all of us to see her as more than just her illness. She lived her life to its fullest with humour, grace and dignity. Her fiery spirit, brilliant eyes, mischievous smile and attention to detail, impacted all who had contact with her throughout her illness. Karen was embraced by the love, compassion and kindness shown to her by her community of family and friends, home care staff, Diana from the ALS Society of Manitoba, and since April, 2007, the palliative staff from the Riverview Health Centre. Love was demonstrated to Karen through regular visits by both in town and out of town family and friends, phone calls, emails, cards, letters, prayers and well wishes from those near and far. Karen's quality of life was enhanced by an array of services that included massage, physiotherapy, music, meditation, chanting, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. Karen leaves to mourn and celebrate her life, her partner Gio (Joan) Guzzi and her family. She was the loving daughter of the late Ethel and the late Samuel Luks. She will be greatly missed by her brother and sister-in-law in Montreal, Peter and Sharon Luks, and their children, Elana, Benjamin and Maya. Grandfather Louis Magil from Montreal (the late Mila), aunts, Roslyn Luks (late uncle Gustave) and Nina St. Michael (Joe), uncles Hyman Hartman (late Betty) and Alex Magil (Ketty) and cousins, relatives and community of friends in Winnipeg and across Canada. Funeral services were held on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and burial at Shaarey Zedek cemetery. In deepest appreciation and gratitude for all the acts of kindness and compassion demonstrated to Karen and her family throughout her illness. Donations honouring Karen's life can be made to the ALS Society of Manitoba, 108-2109 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3J 0L3, phone 831-1510 or to Riverview Health Centre, 1 Morley Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3L 2P4, phone 478-6271.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 09, 2008