ROTMAN o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-09-02 published
Murray "Mendy"
HERSH
By Richard E.
ROTMAN
Tuesday,
September 2, 2003 - Page A16
Teacher, coach, husband, father. Born February 10, 1946, in Toronto.
Died May 15 in Toronto, of prostate cancer, aged 57.
As school re-opens this September at Toronto's Humberside Collegiate
Institute,
Murray "
Mendy"
HERSH won't be there. For the first
time in 31 years, the remarkably popular history and economics
teacher, and legendary basketball coach and player, won't take
up his chalk and stand before his blackboard.
Even after receiving a terminal diagnosis, Mendy refused to quit
teaching. He had accumulated more than a year's worth of sick
days -- from never being ill in the past -- and declined to use
them, declaring that quitting would mean giving in to the disease.
In his last year, as the disease and its many enervating treatments
wore him out, he sometimes taught sitting down. He maintained
his fondness for the lighter side, employing everyday examples
for concepts in economics such as the elasticity of demand, often
basing his humorous stories on his children's life experiences.
As it took an even greater toll, he reluctantly taught half-days
and would return home, awakening the next day with absolute determination
to keep on teaching. He maintained this regimen until two months
before his death, when he was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital.
Mendy was renowned for coaching Humberside to the Senior Basketball
Championship in 1979 over Oakwood Collegiate, when that school
was a city hoops powerhouse. But he wasn't a coach just for the
team's stars. Once there was a game late in the season and Humberside
was far ahead. Mendy called the roster's 12th and least-able
player to the floor. Once this player entered the game, Mendy
called the plays to support him. He directed the other, more
talented players to work around the 12th man's abilities so he
could have the experience of passing, shooting and leading the
team.
His players knew that he came by his expertise honestly. Growing
up in the Annex neighbourhood, Mendy had been a basketball star
in his days at Harbord Collegiate Institute. As his son Michael
recounts, "My dad played on the 1965 Senior City Championship
team at Harbord Collegiate. He was named a city all-star in a
number of newspaper publications that year. He was the point
guard and his very good friend Joe
FAUST was the shooting guard.
They were a dynamic combination and many people came to watch
their outstanding court style and passing and shooting skills."
Mendy's family was his other unshakeable passion. He loved his
wife, Barbara, with a delight so profound that it was obvious
to their multitude of Friends that this was a loving marriage
that worked -- for 31 years. They married when she was 19 and
he was 26 and produced three children: Michael, Lara, and David.
Mendy wore the title of "family man" with pride, always there
for his kids and teaching nights and summers so the
HERSHes could
have a little more than a teacher's salary provided; each child,
in turn, learned an outstanding work ethic and always contributed
to their education and needs.
Mendy kept pushing forward long beyond specialists' expectations
so that he could observe and participate in various family milestones,
such as David's proud completion of his first year McGill. His
children and Friends were shocked as the disease began to take
its toll. To callers, Mendy would put on his "Cary Grant" voice
robust and mellifluous -- to persuade them of his good health,
yet there was no denying the changes in his appearance.
There are few like Mendy left; teaching wasn't about money, it
was about the students and that was where his heart remained.
He leaves behind a gigantic hole at Humberside, and also in his
family and legions of Friends.
Richard is a friend of Mendy
HERSH.
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ROTSTEIN o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-03-03 published
BOIGON,
Dede
On Thursday, February 27, 2003, at Toronto Western Hospital.
Dede BOIGON, beloved wife of Irving. Loving mother and mother-in-law
of Stanley
BOIGON and Fern
ROTSTEIN, Brian
BOIGON and Susan
SPEIGEL,
Gary BOIGON and Michele
SPANO, and Beth
BOIGON and Gregor
HUTCHINSON/HUTCHISON.
Dear sister and sister-in-law of Ed and Sylvia
HYDE, and Ruth
and Albert
KELMAN.
Devoted grandmother of Michelle, Kayla, Ryan,
Stella, Austin, Melissa, Molly, Sam, Matthew, and Zoe. Shiva
355 St. Clair Avenue West #1007. If desired, donations may be
made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 416-946-6560.
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ROTTERS o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-11-29 published
DARE,
Ruth
Eleanor (née
ROTTERS)
Ruth Eleanor
DARE (née
ROTTERS,) born Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan,
1918, died November 28th, 2003 at age 85, at Columbia Forest
Long Term Care Centre, Waterloo. She suffered a hemorrhaging
stroke in June 2002 after enjoying her 60th wedding anniversary
with all her children and grandchildren in attendance. She was
a member of St. Peters Lutheran Church, Kitchener, Westmount
Curling Club, Probus Club, a long term member of the Kitchener-Waterloo
Young Women's Christian Association, a founding member of the
Kitchener-Waterloo-Gyrette Club, a long term volunteer member
of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery and the Kitchener-Waterloo
Symphony, and worked for the Canadian Blind Institute. She was
also an ardent swimmer and canoeist during her Muskoka summers.
Ruth was the much loved mother of Carolyn
WILFRED
(Harmon) of
Christchurch, New Zealand, Graham (Sandra) of Kitchener, and
Bryan (Malkin) of Waterloo. In addition she is survived by her
loving husband Carl and her grandchildren Tanya
LEVERETTE,
Carla
WOOLNOUGH (Scott), Sydney, Jacob, Kaitlin, Alexa, Katherine and
Laurence DARE.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at St.
Peter's Lutheran Church, 49 Queen Street North, Kitchener at
2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2nd. Flowers are gratefully declined
but a donation in Ruth's memory to the charity of your choice
would be appreciated.
We know that like a candle
Her lovely light must shine
To brighten up another place
More perfect - more divine
And in the realm of Heaven
Where she shines so warm and bright
Our loved one lives forever
In God's Eternal Light.
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