JERRY MASLOWSKY

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JERRY MASLOWSKY On September 4, 2016, days after a cancer diagnosis, Jerry Maslowsky passed away at the Health Sciences Centre. He is survived and will be lovingly remembered by his wife of nearly 31 years, Chris; daughters Kaylee (Jared) and Tara; son Bobby; mother Evelyn; brother Kenny; sister Debbie (Arthur); niece Sarah; father and mother-in-law Walter and Elaine Turek; grand-puppy Rue, as well as countless relatives, close friends and colleagues. He was predeceased by his sister Barbara, and his father Sam. A private graveside service was held at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. The family wishes to personally thank pallbearers Neil Baker, Jeffrey Bannon, Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, Sam Katz, Marshall Kneller, and Dr. Hillel Sommer. Honorary graveside pallbearer was Jerry's son Bobby. An overwhelming Celebration of Life was held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre that drew well over 1,000 people; a true testament to the type of person Jerry was. The family also wishes to thank all those involved in making this celebration happen. Jerry was born in 1957 in Winnipeg. He attended I.L. Peretz Folk School, Jefferson Junior High and Garden City Collegiate where he could be found performing, directing and choreographing all the school musicals. Jerry's performance resume was extensive. He starred in numerous Rainbow Stage productions, was a featured singer and dancer with the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble, and performed in over 100 shows at the Hollow Mug Dinner Theatre. Jerry and his three childhood friends also started the band "Special Blend" which became the number one choice for bar mitzvahs and weddings across Winnipeg. In the early 1990s, Jerry and his sister Debbie co-wrote and co-hosted a three-part television special "Wish Upon A Star" for CKY TV. Jerry's passion for performing continued throughout his professional business career and he was regularly asked to perform at various events and concerts around the city. Music always remained close to his heart. Jerry was also a highly regarded business professional, involved for over 30 years in many facets of high-level sales, marketing and communications positions in Winnipeg. He also produced award-winning creative bodies of work that included TV, radio and multimedia. He began his career as advertising manager with the Jewish Post. He built sales and marketing strategies for CKND TV, CJOB Radio and helped launch the Power 97 radio station. While at CJOB he worked closely on developing sales and marketing programs in conjunction with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Goldeyes and the Winnipeg Jets where he was responsible for developing and implementing the "Save the Jets" Campaign in 1996. Known for his tireless work ethic, Jerry went on to a successful tenure as Vice-President of Marketing for the 1999 Pan American Games, one of the most successful games to date, thanks in part to his efforts. After volunteering his time following the Pan Am Games, Jerry was hired in 2000 and spent the majority of his career as Vice President of Sales and Marketing with the Winnipeg Football Club. Jerry was a life-long Blue Bomber fan and had the opportunity to work his dream job for 15 seasons. He was committed to his team and regularly went above and beyond to help players, office staff, coaches, and fans. During his tenure with the Winnipeg Football Club he made life-long friends and kept in close contact with former coaches, colleagues and players. Jerry was a life-long dedicated sports fan, supporting all our local teams as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Minnesota Vikings. Jerry's passion for helping others and giving back to the community resulted in him accepting his most recent position as the CEO of Variety, the Children's Charity of Manitoba. Jerry formed many special bonds with a number of Variety kids and families and implemented numerous fundraising initiatives; eventually breaking the record for the total amount of fundraising dollars raised in one year. Jerry's warm heart and selflessness extended beyond the office. He was a wonderful husband, father, son and brother, and always put his family's needs before his own. His love and his guidance will never be forgotten. Jerry was truly one-of-a-kind, inspiring hope, enriching lives and giving back to the community. If each one of us exhibited a small portion of Jerry's qualities, the world would truly be a better place. His passing is a tremendous and inconsolable loss to us all. The media refer to Jerry's battle with cancer, when in fact, Jerry wasn't given the opportunity to fight. Back pain forced Jerry to take a medical leave from work in May. After countless visits to various doctors and specialists and seeking and undergoing many tests and treatments, no doctor could figure out what was causing the pain. In late August, Jerry saw Dr. Hillel Sommer, a family friend, who was the first physician to further investigate the cause of the pain. The family wants to thank Dr. Hillel Sommer, Dr. Simon Trepel and Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov for their assistance navigating the healthcare system and trying to get Jerry the treatment he needed. There are many other special friends and colleagues, too numerous to mention, that the family wishes to thank for all their support and effort shown to us during this very difficult time. Jerry's family plans to carry forward Jerry's life-long passion of giving back to the community and to those in need. Variety, the Children's Charity of Manitoba and Never Alone Foundation are two charities that are very close to the Maslowsky's hearts. Donations in Jerry's name may be made to Variety, the Children's Charity of Manitoba, Never Alone Foundation, or a charity of one's choice. Jerry/Dad, we love you, we miss you and we are so very proud of the person you are to us, and your role in shaping us. We promise to try our hardest to follow in your footsteps and work toward making a difference in this world.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 17, 2016