ETTIE FRANK (ROSENBERG)

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ETTIE FRANK (ROSENBERG) August 17, 1925 July 15, 2008 Ettie Rosenberg was the next to last of eight children. She spent her early years in the exciting and vital North end shtetle on Manitoba Avenue. Her father Max Rosenberg died in 1940 when she was 15. She met Joseph Frank in 1948 and they married on Christmas day 1949. In 1954 they moved to Enniskillen Avenue where they raised their two children, Brenda and Jeffrey and where they took care of her mom, Bella Rosenberg. Ettie was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1992. This didn't prevent them from continuing to travel for many years. Nor did it prevent them from taking care of others. Ettie's home remained the centre of family gatherings at mitzvahs and holidays and for the frequent games of cards. Ettie and Joe moved to their condo, and she became more physically impaired. Yet through it all she still remained the glue that kept her family together. Her illness never prevented her from enjoying her passion to help others, to cook and to feed people. These past couple of months she survived the most challenging medical procedures through sheer determination to LIVE, not for her vanity or petty needs or fear of death, but because so many people depend on me . She called everyone every day. She found great pleasure in the many visitors and quickly befriended all of the hospital staff. She charmed everyone she met. She finally succumbed to her challenges, peacefully and with great dignity on July 15, 2008 at the Saint Boniface Hospital and was interred at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on July 18. Ettie was predeceased by her husband of over 50 years Joseph Frank; her parents; brother Jack Rosenberg; sisters, Betty Lang (Adam), Jennie Glassman (Hymie), Anne Moscovitch and brother-in-law Saul Drabinsky. She is survived by her brothers, Ike Rosenberg (Anne) and Harry Rosenberg (Faigel); her sister Lil Drabinsky; brother-in-law Jack Moscovitch; sister-in-law Miriam Rosenberg; children, Brenda Green and Jeffrey and Christine Frank, grandchildren Benjamin, Daniel (Sharon) and Elizabeth Green, and Aaron, Ian and Max Frank, great-grandchildren, Chandler and Coleman Green, Joshua Green and Joseph Nathan Green and by numerous cousins and friends. We will miss her dearly. We thank the kindness and loving care provided by her caregivers, Sonia, Nene, Grace, Zeni, Josie, Lita, Sue, Rosa, Heather, Michelle, Levi, Darlene, Brenda and many more who are now responsible for maintaining her recipes. We are also grateful to the doctors, nurses and staff of the many departments at the Saint Boniface Hospital and Grace Hospital and in particular to the wonderful and patient people on 7A south and at Grace ICU. Ettie was born, raised and ultimately died on the sunny side of the street . She was a truly remarkable person. Should you wish, donations to the Parkinson's Foundation or the Winnipeg Jewish Foundation would be welcome. Please also consider your organ donor card.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 23, 2008