IRENE WALSH

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IRENE WALSH Irene Walsh passed away at the Kanee Sharon Home on Tuesday, July 30, 2002. She was 84 years of age. Her funeral will be held at the Bnay Abraham Synagogue, 235 Enniskillen Ave., on Thursday, August 1 at 1:00 p.m. and burial will take place at the Bnay Abraham Synagogue Cemetery, 4639 Main St., Rabbi P. Weizman officiating. She is survived by her loving husband Harry Walsh Q.C.; by her stepson, Paul Walsh Q.C. (Beryl) her stepdaughter Arlyne Walsh; her grandson Zachary (Tiffany) her granddaughters, Rachel and Abigail; her sister-in-law Sally Stern; her brothers-in-law, Ernie Walsh and Sam Walsh; and by a number of nieces and nephews. Irene was born in Lugansk, Russia on June 6, 1918 and was the only child of Vassily and Emily Oleinikov. Irenes father was an architect. When Irene was six months of age her parents escaped from Communist Russia and went to live in Belgrade where her father continued with his profession. Irene pursued her formal education in Belgrades Russian school and university where she attained a degree as a Bachelor of Arts. She travelled to London, England where she studied English. She had already studied French in Paris. At an early age she had learned Russian, Serbian (Yugoslav), German and Italian. She studied Russian history, Russian literature and music. She became a proficient pianist. With the addition of French and English she became an expert in linguistics. During the Second World War Irene lived in Belgrade earning her living by broadcasting news on the radio. At the end of the war she lost her job as she was Russian-born and was termed a foreigner. Hundreds of Russian refugees were interned in camps. Irene and her parents were held in a camp in Trieste. The camp was under the conduct of the British High Command, which was seeking an interpreter who could speak Russian, Serbian, Croation and English. Irene was selected. In 1952 Immigration Canada was looking for immigrants with good education. Irene applied for herself and her parents. On January 22, 1953, the Oleinikov family arrived in Halifax by boat and came to live in Winnipeg. Irene became the first female assistant director in the Winnipeg State of Israel Bond Organization, a post she filled with distinction in the Winnipeg Jewish community for a number of years until her marriange in 1964. Irene became a director on the Board at the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation, and a director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. She entered into a partnership which inaugurated the Yellow Door Gallery which furthered the efforts of many artists in the City of Winnipeg. Irene was a co-founder of the Winnipeg Associates of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev located in Beer Sheva in Israel and from 1967 onward visited Israel on 33 occasions. She learned how to speak, read and write Hebrew. She participated in the Voice of Israel radio program which urged Russian Jews in Moscow to immigrate to the State of Israel. She set up a number of scholarships in Ben-Gurion University which assist needy students from Russia to attend the university in Israel. When the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation chose to honour the world renowned Russian dissident, Andre Sukharov it appointed Irene as the official translator and interpreter. Irene will be missed by her husband, family and friends. Contributions may be made in memory of Irene Walsh to the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev or to a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 01, 2002