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MARK ALAN BERNSTEIN

Born: Dec 01, 1926

Date of Passing: Feb 25, 2019

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MARK ALAN BERNSTEIN Born December 1, 1926 in Winnipeg, MB Died February 25, 2019 in Loulé, Portugal Beloved father of Sandra, Tamara and Mariam Bernstein. Loving Zaida to Miranda and Cinna Baran. Predeceased by his soul-mate, wife and partner of 60 years, Zita Bernstein, his parents Sara and J. Maurice Bernstein, and his dearly loved sister, Babs Asper. Survived by nieces/nephews, David Asper (Ruth), Gail Asper (Michael Paterson) and Leonard Asper (Susan), along with the many members of his large extended family; Zita's relatives, with whom he enjoyed a particularly close relationship; Joan Baragar, his friend and companion of recent years; and the many friends around the world with whom he maintained frequent contact and about whom he cared deeply. A proud graduate of Queen's University's department of engineering chemistry, Mark spent most of his working life in the family business, Phillips Paint Products, which he bought from his father and uncle in 1968. His long career, first in the lab and later management, was marked by both technical excellence and unwavering integrity. Many of his employees worked with him for decades; he was respected for his business acumen, and loved for the genuine care he had for those with whom he worked. He served as the president of the Canadian Paint Manufacturers' Association, among other volunteer positions in his industry. Mark felt a strong bond with the Jewish community both in Winnipeg and in Israel. He supported projects from the Rady JCC in Winnipeg to Magen David Adom in Israel, and served on the board of Technion Canada. He loved travelling, especially to London, Italy, and the Algarve, and cherished time spent at Caddy Lake for over 50 years. A passionate supporter of the arts, he frequently attended concerts, plays and operas. He read voraciously and widely almost to the end of his life, displaying remarkable intellectual acuity that belied his age. His marvellous sense of humour, no-nonsense approach to life, and the great wisdom he acquired in his life will be sorely missed by all who knew him. The family wishes to thank Mark's doctors and nurses, notably Dr. Alexander Singer and Michelle Allard in Winnipeg, and all the caring staff at the Hospital de Loulé; as well as all the aides who helped him so much in the difficult, final phase of his life, with particular mention of Valerie Pohl, Mikko Ignacio, and Ola Adeyemi, who were with him from the beginning of his decline. Mark's funeral was held on March 4, 2019. Pallbearers were David, Gail, Max and Ruth Asper, Sam Brask, Murray Palay, Jonathan Paterson and Michael Shnier. Honorary pallbearers were Leonard Asper, Per Brask, Michael Paterson, and Michael Susser. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, designated for the Mark Bernstein 90th Birthday Youth Enrichment Fund at the Jewish Child & Family Services in Winnipeg; The Mark A. Bernstein (Science '48) Prize in Engineering Chemistry at Queen's University at Kingston; or the charity of your choice.
Publish Date: Mar 9, 2019

MARK ALAN BERNSTEIN December 1, 1926 - February 25, 2019 Father of Sandra, Tamara, and Mariam Bernstein. Funeral service to be held on Monday, March 4, 2019 at 1:00 p.m., at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, 561 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg. Full obituary to follow.
Publish Date: Mar 2, 2019

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 02, 2019, Mar 09, 2019

Condolences & Memories (6 entries)

  • My thoughts and prayers are with the Aspers and the founding members of GROW in Gimli in blessed memory of a benefactor of the Jewish Community. - Posted by: Philip (Friend of Jordan) on: Jan 19, 2022

  • For his 3 daughters. My apologies in not sending this earlier. I had the pleasure of knowing the Bernstein family when our family lived at 222 Oxford Street in the mid 1960s. Many years later I renewed my acquaintance with Mark and Zita. One of my favourite memories was having lunch with Mark. We left his condo and walked over (albeit at his pace) to his favourite pub for lunch. I enjoyed his sharp mind, his dry sense of humour, and his genuine caring about others, not just himself. I will miss them both. My best to their family. - Posted by: Robert Livingston (Friend) on: Jun 10, 2019

  • Growing up we were fairly close with Mark being my Mother's 1st cousin. He and his family were present at all our family events. Altho we grew apart, partially due to geography, we remained in touch. We had an awesome "reunion" for lunch a couple yrs ago that I will always remember fondly and cherish. Regret we had not remained closer and that I am not close to his 3 daughters and their families but it's tough as one ages and is separated by geography and our own immediate families. Mark and I did try to remain in touch via computer. He was such an intelligent, well-read individual with a wonderful sense of humor in addition to being kind and a genuine Mensch. I will miss him. All my love and regards for his daughters and their families. - Posted by: Arnold Zeal (2nd cousin) on: Mar 09, 2019

  • I had the honour & privilege of knowing Mark for only a short time. What an honourable man he was. So kind & witty. He adored his family-& it was patently obvious they adored him! I’m so glad I got to know him. Such a gentle soul will never be forgotten.🌹 - Posted by: Ken Blankstein-Ure (Friend) on: Mar 04, 2019

  • Dear Sandra, Tamara & Miriam, My sincere condolences on your father's loss He was a real mensch who touched the lives of people he came in contact with near or far. Although I never had the privilege of meeting him, he did meet my mother when my grandfather took her to visit him. He sent me a photo of my mother and I'd never had a photo of her that young. For that, he held a special spot in my heart. His memory will most certainly be a blessing to you all and hopefully it will bring you peace. Valerie - Posted by: Valerie Wixen Thruelsen (1st Cousin 1x removed) on: Mar 03, 2019

  • I knew Mark all my life, although we didn’t see each other often, I always loved our contacts with each other. Mark was always a caring, gentle and wise man. I will miss him! I regret not knowing his family, my condolences to you! - Posted by: Robert Bernstein (Distant cousin) on: Mar 02, 2019

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