HARRY SINGER

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HARRY SINGER "The old order changeth, yielding place to new..." In his latter years, keenly aware of his and all of our mortality, Harry would often refer to this passage from Tennyson he learned as a school boy. Harry yielded his place on November 22, 2001 two months to the day after his 88th birthday. Born on September 22, 1913, Harry had lived his entire life in Winnipeg. To all who knew him, Harry was a very special person. He was a devoted family man dedicated and supportive to the family into which he was born, the family which he and his beloved Lil created and to his extended family. He was a quiet, unpretentious person who lived a life dedicated to fostering and maintaining basic values including honesty, trust, loyalty and perseverance. He always had a deep sense of responsibility to others, be it family or the broader community, regularly making sacrifices for others. Having lived through the struggle of the Great Depression, Harry had a keen interest in issues relating to social justice, equity and accountability, all of which he passed on to his offspring. His legacy is the model and inspiration which he provided for so many. The profession of pharmacy was a central element in Harrys life. Harry commenced his studies in pharmacy with an apprenticeship beginning in 1929 and graduated from the University of Manitoba with honours in 1934. Early in his career, Harry came to manage a number of pharmacies in central Winnipeg, primarily in the Ringer chain. Subsequently, he went on to own a number of pharmacies in partnership with his brothers-in-law including Lipton Pharmacy, Regal Drugs and Singer Drugs. Harry, as the compassionate, sensitive and caring individual that he was, practiced patient focused community based pharmacy long before the terms gained currency. Particularly at Lipton Pharmacy, which Harry operated for over a quarter century. Harrys customers came to know him as a trusted and respected health care professional, a good friend and, in many cases, as virtually a part of their families. Harry revelled in his role as pharmacist to the people in the west end - Harry loved his people and his people loved him. When Harry decided that it was time to give up ownership of Lipton Pharmacy in 1979, many in the community which he had served with his characteristic self effacing humility over the years were saddened at his going and made it known in a variety of touching ways just how much he had meant to them. In the early part of his semi-retirement, Harry practiced pharmacy at a variety of locations before finding a new community to serve, to relate to and to support at Niagara Drugs working with Chuck Narvey with whom he developed and shared a special relationship. By keeping himself current through continuing education, Harry maintained an active registration with the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association until 1997 after which he was a non-practicing member until his passing at which point he was one of the oldest pharmacists in the province. Harry and his life mate Lil (Shapiro) were married June 21, 1942. Between courtship and marriage they were a team who shared almost 63 years of love and mutual devotion and support until Lils passing in April of 1999. Harry is survived by and deeply missed by his children to whom he was so devoted, Ron of Calgary and Michelle (Raymond) of Toronto and the many members of his "mishpochah". He was predeceased by his father Max, his mother Jenny, his brother Martin and his sister Mary Segal. A funeral service, conducted by Rabbi Alan Green, was held at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue (of which Harry was a member for over 50 years) on November 25, 2001. Serving as pallbearers were Ron Singer, Raymond Brickman, Myron Donner, Rick Lee, Robert Carr and Tom Yauk. Honorary pallbearers were Archie Orlikow and Chuck Narvey. An unveiling of a memorial in Harrys name took place at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on Sunday, October 13 (at which point, the Winnipeg Free Press was not publishing). In Harrys memory and honour, Michelle and Ron have provided an endowment for a medal to be awarded annually in perpetuity to a student excelling in the patient counselling component of the community practice area in the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba. Those wishing to honour Harrys memory may make a contribution to an endowment to provide a financial award to accompany the Harry Singer Memorial Medal. Such contributions should be directed to the Harry Singer Endowment, Faculty of Pharmacy, Room 202, Pharmacy Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2. Telephone 474-9306. Dad was a quiet and humble man and were he with us he would protest as to why such a fuss was being made over an ordinary fellow in this notice. To all too many he was anything but ordinary. He left a mark on this place and on the lives of many.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 22, 2002