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Leslie Levy

Image by Nick Andréka

LESLIE LEVY

(née GILBERT)

1946 - 2023

Peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Leslie passed away on April 19, 2023.  She was pre-deceased by her parents Lynn and Roger Gilbert.  She leaves to mourn her passing, sister Teri Curle (Warren), step-daughter Cheri McCarthy (Scott), niece Riley Curle (Kevin Hirschfield), grandchildren, cousins and many friends.

 

Leslie grew up in Norwood.  She was a cheerleader at Nelson Mac High School.  She started singing in the choir when she was 13 at St. Phillips’s Anglican church and did so at several different churches throughout her life.

 

Leslie graduated from the U of W with a BA and went on to many diverse jobs - from Manitoba to Saskatchewan to Victoria and back to Saskatchewan. From there she moved to the YukonTerritories where she spent 25 years working as a project development manager for the federal government.  She came a grandma in 2006 and couldn’t have been more proud.  In the Yukon, she also joined a lady's golf league.  She liked it so much that she joined the ladies golf league in Arizona for her winters there.  She also joined and became involved with Rotary, which carried on when she was at her vacation home in Arizona and also back in Winnipeg.  She made friends wherever she was and maintained many of those friendships throughout her life.  If you were a friend, it was forever and you were important to her.  She loved to entertain and socialize no matter where she was and was an amazing hostess and cook.

 

Sadly, she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2011.  After the diagnosis, she still remained upbeat.  She said there was no point in feeling sorry for herself.  She wanted to enjoy every good day she had left.  Her attitude was always positive and she kept on entertaining  as long as she could.  She always had a smile on her face.  She moved back to Winnipeg to be near family.  She met up with an old friend who helped her navigate the next few years.  She still enjoyed winters in Arizona a few more years, but moved to a personal care home in 2016.

 

Many, many thanks to Karen, the 2nd floor nursing staff and all the other aides and helpers at Vista Park Lodge. They showed extraordinary care throughout her 6 1/2 year stay.

 

Private family ceremony to take place at a later date.

 

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to either the Alzheimer’s society or a charity of your choice .

ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

Memories, Stories and Condolences

 

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Peggy and Orest Michalichyn

May 24, 2023 at 5:09 AM

We met Leslie when she first came to Whitehorse. We shared many, many great times. She was always a positive, bubbly, outgoing person. We will always remember her as a wonderful, loyal friend. 

Judy Titarniuk

May 18, 2023 at 1:57 AM

I became friends with Leslie when we were 2. We were friends for 75 years. So many great memories growing up. Miss you girlfriend!.❤

Kathy Fladwood

May 9, 2023 at 7:20 PM

Leslie and I became best friends.  We met through our church choir. When we started seeing the decline in Leslie, I decided she shouldn’t drive back to the Yukon on her own.  We had a lovely trip from Mesa, Arizona to Whitehorse, Yukon.  I met many of her friends. They were vey warm and welcoming.  It was sad for her when she put her home on the market and planned on moving into a smaller rental. Her sister, Teri, did a wonderful job of overseeing Leslie’s care and making arrangements for Leslie to go back to Winnipeg so she could be close to immediate family. Love and miss you, my friend!❤

Joanne Gordon

May 8, 2023 at 2:00 AM

Leslie joined our Rotary Club of St. Boniface St. Vital when she returned to Winnipeg. She was always very pleasant and nice to talk to. I was sad to see the start of her decline with Alzheimer's although she kept trying to be involved in club activities. She was a lovely person. May her memory be a blessing.

Joy Shearman

May 6, 2023 at 9:46 PM

I have a story to share about my friend Leslie. We met when she started coming to Arizona for the winter, and attended my church, where we sang in the choir together. We all looked forward to her return each year, bringing her sense of humor and addition to our choir with her voice. I especially admired her tall, warm immaculate, confident presence. I am a Mental Health Nurse, and began noticing signs and changes in different areas. Feeling apprehensive, I approached her with my observations, and asked if she would be willing for me to take her to see Dr. M a colleague of mine, to be evaluated. Unlike most in my experience, she agreed. We went, and she was evaluated, tested, diagnosed and medicated for Alzheimer's Disease. I have tears as I write this and remember the day we told the choir and explained what this meant for her life and participation in choir. Leslie, bravely told the choir her diagnosis, and together we told them what help she would need to continue singing as long as possible, with her symptoms increasing. This proud, immaculate, perfectionist, intelligent women, accepted her fate and allowed herself to be vulnerable and accept our help with pages, music and organization of service. Never have I experience this in all my years of experience in this field. I have so much admiration and respect for Leslie, and am grateful that out paths crossed for a few years.
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