MALCA ROSS

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MALCA ROSS May 14, 1921 - January 1, 2016 Malca Ross passed away, after years of illness, on Friday, January 1, 2016 at the Victoria General Hospital at the age of 94. She is survived by her daughters Joan and Barbara Shnier (Barry Senensky) and granddaughter Kate Chazan; stepchildren Susan and Gordon Ross; brother M.L. (Buddy) Brownstone (Maxine), sisters-in-law Doreen Brownstone, Lorraine Brownstone (deceased September 8, 2016) and Janie Shnier. She was predeceased by her parents Maggie and Charlie Brownstone, sister Faye Settler, brothers Jack and Billie Brownstone, and husbands Clifford Shnier and Eli Ross. She will be fondly remembered by her many nieces and nephews. Malca was a second generation Canadian whose maternal and paternal ancestors came to Canada in the mid-1880s. The middle child of five siblings, she was born in Southey, Saskatchewan in 1921. Malca came of age during the tough years of the Depression, when her father Charles eked out a living as a travelling salesman. During the war years, when gasoline was being rationed, he was forced even to give that up, becoming a jobber out of his basement on Inkster Boulevard. As a young woman, Malca was a beauty and was often compared to Katharine Hepburn. During the war years she had many suitors but in 1942 chose to marry Clifford Shnier. In the early years of her marriage, Malca worked in her husband's business as a secretary, model, and girl Friday. She took several years off to be a full-time mother to her girls, Joan and Barbara, but once they were of school age, she found time to return to university as a part-time student. In 1966, Malca struck out on her own, opening Maggi's Boutique, an upscale dress shop. However, with Clifford's untimely death in 1968, it was too much for Malca to run the business on her own. Subsequently, she began helping out at The Upstairs Gallery, her sister Faye's antique shop and art gallery. It wasn't long after this that Malca discovered the two great loves of her life: her second husband, Eli Ross, with whom she enjoyed a wonderful 28 year relationship; and the work of orthomolecular biologist Abram Hoffer. As Malca describes it: "I became so interested in nutrition, that I made it a full-time hobby. I subscribed to many health and medical journals, attended many seminars, and read everything my guru, Abram Hoffer, ever wrote--and then some... Although I did most of this learning for my own benefit, I shared all my information and knowledge with my family and friends and my family doctor, and my greatest satisfaction is in knowing that I helped many people to live a better lifestyle." Malca was also an early adopter of new technology. She purchased her first computer 20 years ago, and she learned to manage her own finances via the Internet. It was the first thing she did in the morning and the last thing she did at night. In her words: "I'm never bored, and if I'm ever lonesome, I just turn on CBC radio and presto, I have very interesting company indeed." Malca was not a religious person, but she identified very strongly with the Jewish community both in Winnipeg and worldwide, and was a strong supporter of Israel. She was a person of integrity, decent and generous, with a sense of commitment and responsibility. She lived by the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," which was one of the guiding principles of her life. Malca lived a productive and long life and left an indelible mark on all who knew her. Sadly, the last 10 years of Malca's life weren't very easy. Always vital, vibrant, witty, and intellectually curious, due to ill health, Malca's world began to close in on her. Macular degeneration, dementia, and pneumonia all took their toll. But to Malca's great credit, she was able to roll even with these devastating punches. Somehow, she managed not to be distressed by her illness. Ironically, Malca's dementia seemed to transform her once often acerbic personality to one of genuine sweetness and light. She never complained. Her team of caregivers, including Esther, Aida, and nurse Jan, made it possible for her to live out her last years in dignity and beauty at the Shaftesbury Retirement residence. Our family thanks them and the staff at the Shaftesbury for their kindness and attention to our mother, with special thanks to Rabbi Alan Green for his most thoughtful and compassionate eulogy and service. Donations in memory of Malca may be made to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, Eli and Malca Ross Endowment Fund, with much appreciation.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 12, 2016