OBITUARIO
Gloria Mann
9 septiembre, 1925 – 30 septiembre, 2017
the dimming of one of the brightest lights in the universe,
as our Dear Mum Gloria passed away on
Shabbat and Yom Kippur Day,
Saturday, September 30, at 12:40 PM...
And stunning us further -- an hour after
the death of her dear lifelong friend Monty Hall!
The world will not be the same place
without Gloria's contagious smile, sparkling eyes,
warm attitude, and inimitable spirit.
She lived a long and fulfilling 92 years,
and brought love and joy to every life she touched.
She was a ray of sunshine on The Reminiscence Floor
at her retirement residence, Sunrise of Woodland Hills,
and pretty much every other room she ever entered.
Diminutive and frail, living with "pleasant" dementia,
and confined to a wheelchair, Gloria had suffered a fall
in early September, and was hospitalized with a subdural hematoma.
She returned home to celebrate her birthday on September 9th,
but began declining rapidly thereafter.
She passed away peacefully and painlessly,
under loving hospice care, and surrounded by Family.
Nothing made Mum happier than Family...
although music, hockey, baseball, and babies
were close behind.
And no one embodied that unconditional love of Family
more than her dedicated husband of 67 years,
Larry, who passed away on January 6, 2014.
As a cute teenage girl on the homefront of WWII in Toronto,
her mother, sisters and girlfriends were always trying
to set Gloria up with guys. But, she stubbornly insisted:
"The best men are Overseas. When they come home,
I'll meet one of them!"
And... SHE DID!
She was set up on a blind date,
with a dashing decorated RCAF Sergeant Lou Libman --
later to be known as Larry Mann...
And to a hockey game, no less!
Previously, she had only listened to hockey on the radio
with her beloved father David.
They couldn't believe someone was actually taking her
on a date to see a live game in person at Maple Leaf Gardens!
She and Dad went on many more dates over the next 68 years.
Most of them hockey games!
But first they got married on September 1, 1946.
And Dad's dear friend and radio co-hort Monty Hall
sang at their wedding.
Then as much as Gloria loved Dad and hockey,
she discovered a new and wonderful passion.
She became a doting and loving mother to
Danny, Ron, Rick and Jeff.
And later, she kinda got to do it all over again,
becoming the world's proudest grandmother to
Bryan (with whom she joyously shared her birthday),
Blake, and Sean.
All of them have been left with a hole in their hearts
that will not heal easily or soon.
Whenever I used to tell people that I was one of 4 boys,
they would often remark: "All those men... your poor mother!"
Our poor mother?
Back in our childhood, when most household chores
were a bit more, shall we say, gender defined, make no mistake --
her boys set and cleared the table, washed and dried dishes,
washed dried folded and ironed laundry, dusted, vacuumed,
babysat, and changed diapers. As well as shovelling snow,
mowing lawns, and taking out the garbage.
So except for maybe not being able to put us in dresses...
"our poor mother" had it pretty good. And so did we!
She was always quick to snap back with how lucky and blessed
she felt to have 4 sons in her life, and we all know she knew
the feelings were mutual.
The blueprint for her love of life and family pre-dated meeting Larry.
It was established in her happy downtown Toronto immigrant
melting pot neighborhood home by her parents, David and Freda,
her dear older sisters Ruth and Helen, and her beloved kid brother Harold.
It later grew to include her siblings' spouses: Isaac, Irv, and Syrma.
She is survived only by Syrma, but remembered and spoke of
them all glowingly in her later years, while often forgetting
many other people and things.
All her nieces and nephews stayed involved in Mum's life,
and she always loved hearing from Debby, Ferne, Lenny,
Sandy, Hyla, Barbara, Paula, Sheila, Arnold, Billy, and Freyda.
For many years, she would send them all birthday cards,
wedding presents, and eventually Mazel Tovs on their
newly arrived babies, many of whom visited and stayed in touch,
bringing her much joy.
Former daughters-in-law, Ginger, Laurie, Aubry, Donna and Susan,
were also an important part of her life, and beneficiaries of
her unique brand of unconditional love, and walking encyclopedia
of homespun life lessons.
While her sons ended up marrying more often than she had,
Gloria embraced each of their spouses as family,
offering counselling when and if allowed, and was always there
to soothe her boys' battered and bruised hearts.
Gloria was born on September 9, 1925,
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and attended Clinton Street Public School.
She loved school and learning, especially music, art, literature, and sports.
In her last few years, she began forgetting many things,
but reminisced repeatedly about her public school days,
and especially her beloved Principal Mr. Schofield,
with a reverence often reserved for parents, clergy, or Gandhi.
Her memory of him and his strong sense of fairness, civility,
tolerance and inclusiveness, were values she cherished,
espoused and lived by her entire life!
Gloria went on to attend Central Commerce High School in Toronto,
where she acquired shorthand, typing, and book-keeping skills
which served her in good stead through a number of jobs
during her late teenage years.
While she and her siblings all contributed some of their earnings
to the household kitty, Mum's jobs did allow her to indulge is some
of her favorite passions. She attended the theater as often as possible,
mostly musicals, and opera. Those passions stayed with her all her life.
And the fact that her husband became a performer was icing on the cake.
Having grown up in The Depression, as she and Larry began to
experience some success in radio and TV, they never forgot
their beginnings, and were always involved in some kind of
charitable activities.
Gloria joined the women's organization ORT, and was an active
member of the Sisterhood at Temple Sinai in Toronto, of which
they were founding members. She always loved taking part
in classes and activities to expand her horizons.
She grew up in a home that celebrated all the Jewish customs.
And while her own home wasn't quite as observant,
she still insisted her family maintain a connection to its roots,
and all of the big holidays were huge cacophonous get togethers.
She loved the cooking, and the music, and family togetherness
of all of it.
One of the great challenges of her life was when Larry decided
it was time to take a dive into the deeper Hollywood pond.
Moving to LA, away from her family and roots was quite jarring
at first, but her dedication to her husband and her kids took
precedence over everything, and she dove into her new life
with the same indomitable spirit she had always displayed.
Of course, 80 degree weather, no snow, having a local
NHL team and a swimming pool didn't hurt.
She got involved with her kids' PTA, her new Temple Sisterhood,
and began tutoring kids, and taking art classes in her spare time.
Gloria made a new life at home, while Larry made a new life
for them on the screen. As time went on, their kids grew,
graduated, married or not, had kids or not, and Mum and Dad,
learned to fall in love all over again.
They traveled all over the world, became RV enthusiasts,
took drawers full of pictures, collected wonderful stories,
and made new friends everywhere.
We are so fortunate to have had them in our lives as long as we did,
and are grateful that we could make their later years
as happy and comfortable as possible.
The fact that Mum has joined Dad just in time for
the beginning of the hockey season is almost poetic:
Full Circle, eh?
* * * * * *
We gratefully acknowledge the dedication of all the caregivers
at The Village in Northridge, Sunrise of Woodland Hills,
and Sacred Life Hospice.
And an extra large helping of gratitude to one of a kind caregiver,
friend, and honorary family member Alicia Padilla,
who continually redefined her role in both Larry and Gloria's care
and quality of life. Our wishes are with you for a speedy recovery
from your own health challenges!
* * * * * *
"In lieu of flowers..."
Please consider honoring Gloria's Memory
in any of these ways that were meaningful to her:
A) CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS:
1. Variety - The Children's Charity
Gloria & Larry were lifelong contributors to
both the LA and Toronto "Tents"
and Dad emceed their telethons for years
with Gloria proudly by his side!
(contribute online/usa)
(contribute by mail/usa)
Variety - The Children's Charity
4601 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 260
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(contribute online/canada)
(contribute by mail/canada)
Variety - The Children's Charity
3701 Danforth Avenue
Scarborough, Ontario
M1N 2G2 Canada
2. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Gloria & Larry were avid supporters of its creation,
and honored visitors, especially with Dad having participated
in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
He was an interviewee for the Shoah Project.
(contribute online)
(contribute by mail)
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum,
Western Regional Office,
9911 W. Pico Blvd.,
Los Angeles 90035.
B) CARDS etc. to the family may be sent to:
Danny Mann
3708 Barham Blvd
Suite D 108
LA CA 90068
With sadness, love and appreciation:
Danny, Ron, Rick, Jeff,
Bryan, Blake and Sean.
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