A Database of the Dead

My mother Ida Blum (née Turkienicz) was born in Poland in the 1920s. She was a gentle, warm loving person devoted to caring for her family. One of ten children, she along with her siblings and parents fled into hiding in the forest bordering their small town of Sernik in 1942. Remarkably eight siblings survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Canada with their mother. She is fondly remembered as being soft and funny!

Susan was my mother. She was boisterous, funny, and smart as hell. A scientist by training, first a teacher and then a lawyer by trade, she was an accomplished professional who never let that interfere with being a parent. We miss her profoundly.

My father Berel Blum was born in Poland in 1925. The middle of nine children, Berel learned in the aftermath of the Second World War that his parents and all his siblings, a family of nine children, were murdered during the Holocaust. Berel immigrated to Canada in 1948 with the aid of his maternal Aunt Leah and built a new life. Here he met and married the love of his life Ida Turkienicz in 1952, and raised their three children. Berel owned and operated Blum's Furniture, a retail furniture business located at Bloor and Landsdowne, for over 40 years. Berel was a bundle of positive energy and devoted himself to family, attending Beth Emeth synagogue, swimming, and playing pool at the North Y. He believed his purpose in life was to do good deeds for others and take my mom out for breakfast! I miss his humour, his fruit and danish deliveries, his endless orders advising what I should be doing and generous heart.

He was my only son, born after 3 daughters, the baby of the family. He was such a joy and so loved. He had a wonderfully kind , deep soul and his sweet disposition touched many lives. He was sensitive and caring and so gentle. He was an extremely talented musician who wrote songs and playing the guitar was his passion. He was too good for this harsh world. He is missed and remembered everyday by his friends and family.

Khan was known for his nuanced and understated performances, with many calling him one of India's most talented actors.
He was so highly respected that director Wes Anderson once wrote him a part just so he could work with him.

Sally Rose Friedman passed away March 22, 2020 in her 91st year. She was a caring daughter, beloved wife, devoted mother , proud bubbie and great bubbie. She was a born caregiver, strong, feisty, modern and generous. We will all miss her very much.

Artist, photographer, bicycle enthusiast, grounded, beautiful man. Son of Jan Mackie and Jim Kuellmer, brother of Neal, partner of Jessica Moore.

A loving. Caring father who gave me the courage to stand tall and proud. Who gave me encouragement to be strong and handle life’s challenges. He lived a full life, read lots about history and spirituality and he lived life with no regrets. He travelled around the world in his late teens and found his way to England and Canada from Pakistan. He was strong and healthy until a few months before he passed of lung cancer. He actually lost strength in this last few weeks when cancer took over.
We were there by his bedside the whole time and were grateful to have been able to spend valuable time with him. I pray to be reunited with him in heaven. I miss him everyday z

Max was a dear friend. Tall, handsome and kind, his love of music and his gay brothers, and his generosity will be forever a gift to those who’s life he touched.

1929-2019

Agnes always had a warm and quirky presence.
She loved life till the end and never got tired of tackling the big questions of everyday life. She was curious, loud and daring. She is a philosopher to be read and remembered.

He was my zayde. He was a survivor of leukaemia and then hepatitis C. He was cranky, hilarious, lovely and a character. He was the best grandfather a kid could ever have.