BRENDA JOYCE LEIPSIC (DENNIS)

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BRENDA JOYCE LEIPSIC (nee DENNIS) Brenda Joyce Leipsic (nee Dennis), River Heights - Fort Garry City Councillor and Deputy Mayor of the City of Winnipeg, passed away Tuesday afternoon, December 9, 2008 at Riverview Health Centre in the company of family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Tracy, husband Richard Buchwald and their children, Rachael, Serena and Adam; by her son Gregory, wife Kathleen and their children, Brendan, Jeremey and Emma. Brenda was predeceased by her parents, William and Olga Dennis and her sister Audrey McAree. Brenda proudly lived all her life in Winnipeg. Born in the city's north end in 1942, she enjoyed an active childhood and was involved in many sports. Her parents owned and operated a pool hall and restaurant affectionately remembered as the AAC - Arlington Athletic Club. Brenda and Audrey worked their first jobs in this family enterprise. Her junior and high school days were spent at St. Mary's Academy and she graduated from the University of Winnipeg Collegiate. Once her children were in school full time she went back to University where she studied social sciences at the University of Manitoba receiving her Advance Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985 to the cheers of an adoring and proud family. Brenda's business career began in the mid 1970s with Foster Advertising under the tutelage of Laurie Mainster. She went on to develop her own consulting firm, Leipsic Communications, working with local firms to develop their advertising and marketing plans. She was devoted to working on behalf of charities, including; developing the dream home lottery concept for St. Boniface Research Foundation, creating the Dr. Goodbear personae and introduced the first Teddy Bear's Picnic for the Children's Hospital Foundation, and co-chairing the Winnipeg Humane Society $11 million capital campaign. She served with distinction on the board of the Winnipeg Convention Centre and was also an executive member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba. Brenda was also a political junkee of a Conservative bent with a particular interest in Provincial matters. She worked for Conservative leader Sidney Spivak in the 1970s, and later became provincial party president from 1994 until 1998 while Gary Filmon was premier. She ran successfully for City Councillor in 2006, being tapped for the Mayor's Executive Policy Committee and appointed Deputy Mayor by Mayor Sam Katz. She lobbied hard for more police officers, for a Waverley - Taylor underpass, for the indoor soccer complex at the University of Manitoba, and had assumed responsibilities for the restructuring of the Assiniboine Park. In her ward she helped establish new bike and walking paths, the building of spray pads for children and the establishment of a new off leash dog park. She worked very hard on Corporate Sponsorship for the city of Winnipeg and brought awareness to the important work of the Humane Society. Brenda also fought hard to bring term limits and fiscal accountability to City Hall and was a champion of making civic government work for the people. Brenda was a superlative friend and inspiring mother and grandmother and a solid friend. She delighted in the company of her six grandchildren, with their mothers and fathers, numerous friends, and various large hounds and felines at Sans Souci - Matlock. That was her special place, heaven as she called it, where all were welcome and food was in constant abundance. Though she had come a long way from the north end she never forgot her roots, who she was. She was in every respect a very, very good person. She is missed. The family wishes to thank the staff at Riverview Health Centre for their compassionate attention, especially, Dr. St. Goddard, Dana, Anika, Barbara, Ashley and Susan; at CancerCare, we wish to thank especially: Dr. Dahli Dhaliwal, Annita Stenning, Dr. Gary Harding and Cindy. And, finally, a thank you to Brenda's special friends: Adrienne (Sadie) Pereira, Nadia Rubin, Joan Finnegan, Lila Goodspeed and Jean Bow who were so especially wonderful to Brenda during her illness. Also, thank you to Lynette and Cherito for everything they did for Brenda. A gathering of family and friends to commemorate Brenda's extraordinary life will be held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Riverview Health Centre Foundation.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 13, 2008