ERIC LANSKY

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ERIC LANSKY Born on December 15, 1920 in Miroslav, Czechoslovakia, Eric died peacefully on September 7, 2004 in Winnipeg. He came to Winnipeg from Denmark in November of 1950 with his wife Nora and daughter Ditte. In 1956, he purchased a car dealership in Carman, MB and moved there with Nora and their two children, Ditte and Michael. In 1989, Eric retired to Winnipeg with his second wife Peggy. Eric had a full life. He competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin as a swimmer for Czechoslovakia. In 1939 he fled to Denmark where he worked for the Danish Resistance before serving in the British Army in the Second World War, as a tank driver in the 59th Armoured Regiment of Field Marshall Montgomerys 8th Army. Proficient in seven languages, Eric also served as an interpreter for General Matthew Ridgeways US 101st Army. A successful independent businessman, Eric was President of the Carman and Community Chamber of Commerce and of the Pembina Valley Development Corporation. In 1968, he was elected to the first of two terms as Councillor for the Town of Carman and in 1983, he was elected Mayor for a term. His business legacies include school bus fleet transportation for rural Manitoba, and one of the first rural cable television systems. Eric was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Carman Branch, and the Carman Masonic Lodge, becoming Worthy Master in 1969. He was instrumental in moving the Masonic Temple building to its present location. During his early retirement, Eric worked for the Canadian International Development Agency in Casablanca, Morocco, and in many Northern Manitoba First Nations communities. He enjoyed providing counsel to new entrepreneurs, and always gave freely of his time. Erics parents, Max and Amelia and his sister Edith perished in 1941 in the Holocaust. He was predeceased by his first wife Nora and his second wife Peggy. Eric leaves his children, Ditte and Michael and their spouses, Paul and Pam; and his granddaughters, Alexis and Julia Cloutier and Jill and Maddie Lansky. He also leaves his devoted friend Edna Trudel. A service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 11 at Doyles Funeral Chapel in Carman with interment in Greenwood Cemetery. If friends so desire, donations may be made in Erics memory to the Carman and Area Foundation Inc., Box 160, Carman, MB R0G 0J0. Peace Be With Him

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 09, 2004