BESSIE EARN

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BESSIE EARN Bessie Earn was happiest when her family and friends were gathered around her dinner table enjoying one of her homemade meals. Cooking was one way Bessie expressed her love. For many years, she and her late husband, Hy, would invite dozens of people to Passover seder at their Niagara Street home. There, guests were treated to a show-stopping table set with fine china and sterling silver flatware. Bessie’s dinners were epic, elegant and delicious. “And you couldn’t beat her baking. Her nothings and chocolate chip cookies were number one,” says her son, Sheldon, who would nosh on the treats after school with his brother Brian, Bessie’s youngest child. When she wasn’t working at home, she was helping her husband’s businesses grow. Bessie was the heart of Hy’s St. John’s Pharmacy, located at the corner of Main Street and Mountain Avenue. That’s where she managed the drugstore’s lunch counter, frequented by the teachers from nearby Machray School who couldn’t get enough of her delectable delights. Eventually, Hy - a pharmacist himself - sold his business and, in 1950, opened Dominion Veterinary Laboratories (D.V.L). Thanks to Hy and Bessie’s teamwork, the company is now the largest manufacturer and distributor of animal drugs in Western Canada. Throughout Bessie’s career, she never missed making a meal for her two kids; she was always home at noon and 6:00 to make them lunch and dinner. Bessie was born on January 22, 1917 in Benito. Her parents were Sam and Molly Tax, cattle dealers who owned a general store in the tiny town located on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. She and her siblings - Bill Tax, the late Hy Tax, the late Annie Feldman and the late Bertha Fox - grew up in Winnipeg. Bessie was the brown-eyed beauty pageant winner who Hy couldn’t help but fall in love with. The newlyweds lived with Bessie’s parents on Burrows Avenue. Later, they moved into their own place on College Avenue. Circa 1957, the couple and their two boys migrated south - to River Heights. For fun, Bessie loved to visit the racetrack, play blackjack and travel to Florida. Bessie was heartbroken when Hy - known for his kindness, work ethic and charisma - passed away in 1991. She was proud of her husband’s business legacy and made sure she regularly checked in at D.V.L., which Sheldon took over when Hy died. Eventually Sheldon’s wife, Sandra, joined the company. Now Sheldon’s son, David, runs the operation alongside his parents. David, who is set become head of D.V.L. when his parents retire, looks forward to carrying forward Hy’s and Bessie’s vision for the firm. In her later years, Bessie’s health declined. She took comfort in her family, which includes her grandchildren Seth, Josh, Aviva, Darren, his wife Wai-Ming, David, his wife Shamona, Shane and his wife Maren. Her great- grandchildren - Kai, Nadia, Samson and Maya - were also a great source of her joy. Bessie passed away peacefully on September 24, 2012 in her Sinclair Avenue condominium. Many attended Bessie’s graveside funeral, which took place September 27 at Rosh Pina Memorial Park. Thanks to everyone who could be there and to those who sent their condolences. Special thanks to Remy and Nita, Bessie’s attentive care givers who made sure she was comfortable during the final years of her life. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice. Sheldon, Sandra, Brian, Sharon, Bill and the rest of the family are at peace knowing their mother, mother-in-law and sister lived a good, productive life. Bessie will live on in the hearts and minds of her family.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 03, 2012