KESHET o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-02-07 published
Michael EDELSTEIN
By Leah KESHET
Friday,
February 7, 2003, Page A20
Mathematician, husband, father, grandfather. Born March 21, 1917,
in Mlawa, Poland. Died January 27 in Vancouver, British Columbia,
of natural causes, aged 85.
Michael EDELSTEIN was born to a respected, well-to-do, traditional
Jewish family: His grandfather, Zisha
ZILBERBERG, owned a large
brick tenement building and a grocery store; his father, Baruch,
prospered in the leather trade.
As a young child, Michael received a Jewish education. During
his impressionable teen years, Michael discovered a copy of Darwin's
Origin of Species abandoned in his grandfather's attic by a fleeing
soldier. The discovery led him toward a life of science, and
away from religion. As an adolescent, he excelled in mathematics
and physics. He was an avid reader, astute in current events,
and a scholar of history, who retained detailed knowledge of
turbulent events of the two centuries spanned by his life.
Rising anti-Semitism in Poland of the 1920s and 1930s blocked
higher education for Jews (via "Numerus Clausus" -- the quota
system). His sister Sarenka persuaded Michael to study abroad
at the fledgling Hebrew University of Jerusalem (in then-Palestine).
He arrived alone in that bewildering land in 1937. There he struggled
with the language and culture, and was beset by loneliness and
homesickness. Ultimately, this dislocation spared his life. The
firestorm that erupted over Europe in 1939 was to consume his
family in the Holocaust.
On the Mt. Scopus campus of Hebrew U., conditions were rough,
stipends meagre, and hunger and deprivation were rampant. War
interrupted his studies: With the onset of the Second World War,
Michael enlisted in the British Army, serving in Italy and Egypt.
He later fought in the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, and
participated in defense research.
The 1950s were years of happiness and rejuvenation. He was reunited,
in Israel, with his sister, the single family member who had
survived Auschwitz. In 1951, Michael married a warm, caring,
beautiful native bride, Tikvah
SEGAL; two years later, their
only daughter was born. The couple struggled to make ends meet
while completing higher degrees, Michael a mathematics D.Sc and
Tikvah a botany Ph.D.
In 1962, the family undertook a journey, through Ithaca, New
York, and Michigan, which eventually led them, in 1964, to a
new home in Canada. Michael was recruited as a mathematics professor
at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he became a founder
of the mathematics graduate and research program. He inspired
colleagues, trained students, carried out research, and taught
there for more than two decades before his retirement and relocation
to British Columbia.
Michael saw his own life as a series of personal losses: of his
beloved mother Ester-Leah (when he was 6), of his young wife
(at age 51), his sister in later life, and many others. By age
85, he had outlived an entire generation of kin. He struggled
with internal demons in personal interactions, often leaving
Friends and loved ones grieving over sudden, inexplicable estrangements.
A miraculous reunion in recent years, with his once-estranged
daughter who had followed his footsteps to become a mathematician,
led to a close bond. It remained unbroken until his dying day,
January 27, 2003, in Vancouver.
Michael was an exceptional chess player (gaining the title of
International Master in Correspondence Chess in the 1990s), but
mathematics was his first love and lifelong passion; he never
tired of transmitting that passion to students and even to casual
acquaintances. While infirm with Parkinson's disease at an advanced
age, he took pleasure in his mathematics books, and braved some
of the most notoriously challenging problems in mathematics.
Leah KESHET is Michael's daughter.
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KESLICK o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-08-25 published
Pilot 'displayed utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty'
By Tom HAWTHORN
Special to The Globe and Mail Monday, August
25, 2003 - Page R5
Jack KESLICK, a pilot who won a Distinguished Flying Cross for
his several daring bombing missions over Germany in the Second
World War, has died in Richmond Hill, Ontario He was 81.
Mr. KESLICK, a flying officer, had several scrapes with disaster,
losing engines on two sorties and being hit by flak on two others.
On August 9, 1944, he lost an engine during an attack on a launch
site for the V-1 flying bomb at Prouville, France, but managed
to return safely to base at Leeming, Yorkshire, home of No. 429
(Bison) Squadron. The following month, he again lost an engine
on a mission. Though he had yet to reach his target at Calais
on the French coast, Mr.
KESLICK continued with his bombing assignment
before returning to England.
Four days later, on September 28, a wave of 38 Lancaster and
214 Halifax bombers was assigned to take out coastal guns at
Cap Gris Nez. Many crews had to return with their bombs because
of poor weather, but Mr.
KESLICK was able to strike the target.
On October 12, Mr.
KESLICK's
Halifax was hit by flak while joining
95 others in a sortie against oil plants at Wanne-Eickel, Germany.
His plane was not seriously damaged.
His crew also took part in the massive attack on the Wilhelmshaven
naval base on the night of October 15-16, as 119 Halifaxes and
19 Lancasters dropped more than one million pounds of incendiaries
and high explosives on the port city.
From
July 28 to November 6, 1944, Mr.
KESLICK logged more than
165 hours of flight on 31 sorties, but his most harrowing mission
was yet to be flown. On November 24, his bomber was one of a
baker's dozen on a mining operation on the Kattegat, the strait
separating Denmark and Sweden. His Halifax was hit by flak, damaging
the bomb bay and the starboard outer engine. He nursed his Halifax
back to Scotland.
John Leask
KESLICK was born in Toronto on May 25, 1922. He enlisted
on July 29, 1942, and had been promoted to pilot officer by the
time he left military service.
He was presented his medal at Government House in Ottawa by Governor-General
Vincent MASSEY in 1953, according to research by the military
historian Hugh
HALLIDAY.
The citation noted that Mr.
KESLICK
had "invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion
to duty."
Mr. KESLICK died of congestive heart failure at Richmond Hill,
Ontario, on July 15. He leaves a son, a daughter and a sister.
He was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn.
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KESTER o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-05-28 published
TRUSCOTT,
Peggy (née
SAULT)
Peggy lived her life as a beautiful, special person who brought
joy, love and light to everyone she touched. Her kindness, compassion
and overwhelming energy to help others was ever present from
her days as a nurse at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto Western
Hospital and the Victorian Order of Nurses, to her work as a
nursing instructor at Centennial College and as a public health
nurse for the City of Toronto. A wife, a mother, a daughter,
a sister and a wonderful friend. Peggy lived courageously with
ovarian cancer for the last four years, her strength, positive
outlook and love of life never wavering. Peggy died peacefully
at home, on May 25th, 2003, wrapped in the love of her husband
and best friend Bruce and her daughters - Sarah, Rebecca and
Martha and son-in-law Josh
KESTER.
Peggy will be dearly missed
by all who knew her including her parents John and Beth
SAULT,
her in-laws Marg and
Os TRUSCOTT, her siblings Mary
McKELVEY
(Max,) Cathie
HUGHES
(Wayne,)
John
SAULT (Linda,) Barb
SAULT
(Liz THOMAS,)
Patty▼
BONTJE (Michael) as well as by her many Friends,
cousins, nieces and nephews. We wish to thank Dr. J.
STURGEON
and Dr. D.
DEPETRILLO (Princess Margaret Hospital), Dr. J.
MEHARCHAND
(Toronto East General Hospital), Dr. J.
RIEGER (Temmy Latner
Centre for Palliative Care,) and nurses Barb
MOFFAT and Ann Marie
HOGAN (St. Elizabeth Health Care) for their compassionate and
supportive care. At Peggy's request, a private cremation has
occurred, arranged by The Simple Alternative Funeral Centre.
A service celebrating her life will be held for family and Friends
at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 10365 Islington Ave,
Kleinburg, Ontario (905-893-1121) on Monday, June 2nd, 2003 at
5: 30 p.m. The family extends a warm welcome to all who wish to
join them. In lieu of flowers, we encourage donations to the
National Ovarian Cancer Association, 27 Park Road, Toronto M4W
2N2 (416-962-2700). In September 2002 Peggy founded the first
annual ''Walk of Hope'' to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.
Please join us on September 7th, 2003 at the second annual National
Ovarian Cancer Association ''Walk of Hope'' and remember Peggy.
Further details will be available at: www.ovariancanada.org
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KESTER o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-10-27 published
SAULT,
John
Henry (1918 - 2003)
Died peacefully in Toronto on Friday, October 24, 2003 surrounded
by his wife and family. Loving husband of Beth
(HARRISON) for
over 60 years. Great Dad to Mary (Max
McKELVEY,) the late Peggy
(Bruce TRUSCOTT), Cathie (Wayne
HUGHES), John (Linda), Barb (Liz
THOMAS,)
Patty▲
(Michael
BONTJE.) Wonderful Grampa who will be
missed particularly at Boshkung Lake by his grandchildren Keith,
Andrew and Heather
McKELVEY; Sarah, Rebecca (Josh
KESTER), and
Martha TRUSCOTT;
Alison,
Calum and Jeremy
HUGHES; Harrison and
Alex BONTJE.
Predeceased by sister Helen
(SAULT)
LINDSAY whose
children looked to him as a mentor and guide. Special Uncle to
his many nieces and nephews. Jock, affectionately known as ''Saltie''
was a long-time salesman for the Canadian Salt Company. Along
with a busy career and active family life, Jock coached hockey,
golfed and drove the water-ski-boat. He was a dedicated Big Brother,
Boy Scout Leader and Elder at Forest Hill United Church. Later
in life he volunteered with North Toronto Meals on Wheels. He
served a term as Mayor of Donarvon Park, Boshkung Lake and spent
a cherished year as President of the Boshkung Lake Cottagers
Association ending the summer by holding the First Annual Presidents
Ball. A large man who loved life, he will be missed by his family,
many relatives, Friends and co-workers. Jock was well known for
his favourite saying, ''It's great to be alive''.The family extends
sincere gratitude to the staff at Kingsway Retirement Home and
the Trillium Health Centre (Mississauga) for their devoted and
professional care. Friends may call at the Turner and Porter Yorke
Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. West at Windermere, east of the Jane subway
from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm, Monday; Memorial Service in the Chapel
on Tuesday October 28, 2003 at 3: 00 pm. If desired a donation
may be made to National Ovarian Cancer Association, 27 Park Road,
Toronto, Ontario Canada, M4W 2N2.
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