GLADYS PONEIRA (BROWN)

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GLADYS PONEIRA

Gladys Poneira (nee Brown), 94, of Winnipeg, MB, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 21, 2019.
Gladys is predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Jose. She is survived by her son Rick (Colleen), daughter Melody (Mark) Clegg, two grandchildren, Wes and Norah, two step- granddaughters, Jennifer and Samantha, and two great-grandsons, Jack and Colin, As well as her dear nephew Georges (Elizabeth) Tremel of Jasper. Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Catheryn, and her brother Bill Jr.
Gladys was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 15, 1925. Gladys grew up in trying times and had an impoverished childhood. Gladys quit school at 16 to work in the munitions factories to not only help in the war effort but to also support her family. At 18 years of age, Gladys tried to join the American Army but was refused due to her age, and she went to Canada and enlisted in the Canadian Army. She received an honourable discharge a year later on compassionate grounds when she learned her mother was dying. Gladys continued the war effort in the States by entertaining the convalescing troops in the hospitals. It was at this time that Gladys met and toured with Louis Prima as a comic dancer. Prima told Gladys she had great talent and if she wanted to make it, she needed to go to New York. In 1945, at the young age of 20, Gladys left for the "Big Apple" New York City. Gladys continued her dancing where she danced in various nightclubs. She was later hired to do a Broadway Musical "Bloomer Girls" with Milton Berle. As her talent grew she became noticed and was hired as a dancer for the June Taylor Dancers and was later featured on the Jackie Gleason Show, and then moved on to the Copacabana Night Club. Gladys decided to retire from dancing at the age of 27 and try a different facet of the entertainment business. She was hired by the Harwin Club in Manhattan, which ranked as high as the Stork Club and the "21" Club, handling the publicity for the nightclub. It was here where Gladys rubbed elbows with all the elite in the entertainment field. Gladys met and befriended many stars of the silver screen era and counted Jerry Lewis, Red Buttons, Milton Berle and Joey Bishop, and Rodney Dangerfield, as close personal friends. She also knew and regularly mingled with celebrities such as William Holden, Frank Sinatra, Eva Gabor and Andy Williams. Gladys was tasked with the publicity for Joan Crawford's upcoming 46th Birthday Party, where she mingled and photographed the star. After the party, Joan Crawford tipped Gladys $500, an enormous amount at the time.
Gladys would later meet her future husband pianist Jose Poneira in 1955, where he had a trio at the Harwin Club. Gladys and Jose were married in Manhattan in 1955 and subsequently moved to Canada in 1957. Jose's musical career moved the family from Winnipeg to Toronto, to Vancouver and back to Winnipeg. In 1976, Gladys embarked on a different career, one that would span 20 years. Gladys found employment first at Sears working in their security branch as a store detective. She later moved over to the Hudson Bay where she was sworn in as a Special Constable for the Province of Manitoba, and provided security for nearly 20 years. Gladys earned accolades from the company for having the most arrests. Gladys attributed her new career in security to her son Rick who would follow her in the security business, ultimately joining the Winnipeg Police.
A special thank you to all the staff of Maples Personal Care Home for their loving care, compassion and support during her last few years.
A private family interment has taken place.

"Gone but not forgotten,
although we are apart,
your spirit lives within us,
forever in our hearts."

For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit www.chapellawn.ca

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home
204-885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 30, 2019