ELLEN MARGARET TABISZ (CLARK)

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ELLEN MARGARET TABISZ (nee CLARK) On Monday, May 20, 2002 at the St. Boniface Hospital, peacefully in her 60th year, surrounded by her family, after a long and fierce battle with kidney disease. Ellen is survived by her parents, Rosemary and Del Clark (Toronto) her husband of 36 years, George; her children, Marie-Isabelle Downey (Michael) and Ted (Deborah) her grandchildren, Kayla, Jacob, Amber and Nicolas; her brothers, Sam (Claudia) of London, ON, Edmund (Fran) of Toronto; and ten nieces and nephews. Ellen was born in Toronto in 1942 and attended Agincourt Collegiate, Queens University, Carlton University and the University of Manitoba earning a B.A. (Political Science), an M.S.W. and a Diploma in Public Administration. She began her career as a market researcher for Opinion Place and then for many years was a co-ordinator of Social Work at St. Boniface General Hospital. She considered the highlight of her career to be the years spent as the Executive Director of the Womens Post Treatment Centre which became the Laurel Centre. The Centre, a United Way agency for women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse, gained a strong presence in the community during her tenure there. A particular delight for her was organizing its annual fund raising breakfast. In recent years, she has been involved in the Forgotten Man Committee, striving to found an agency for male abuse survivors. At St. Boniface Hospital, Ellen was instrumental in establishing the Elders Health Programme. She also held positions as an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba and as a Guest Researcher at Riverview Health Centre. Throughout her life, Ellen was an earnest volunteer, working for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the United Way and the St. Norbert Daycare Centre among others. She was a staunch member of the Liberal Party and had won the Lester B. Pearson Award for her outstanding work as a Young Liberal. She was a devoted mother and grandmother, truly living her life for others. She knew how to translate ideas into action. As well as having an intense love of travel, she was a lifelong cottager at Lake of Bays in Muskoka and Victoria Beach. The family wishes to extend sincere gratitude for the attentive care Ellen received by the staff of the Kidney Transplant Unit (HSC), Ward 5B, the Medical Intensive Care Unit and the Palliative Care Unit (SBGH), Special appreciation must go to Drs. John Jeffrey and David Rush at Health Sciences Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellens memory to the Laurel Centre, 62 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB, R3C 2B3 or the Kidney Transplant Unit, Health Sciences Centre, 820 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9. Friends and relatives may visit the family from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 23 at 19 Ryerson Ave. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 25 at Mary Mother of the Church, 85 Kirkbridge Dr. with burial at Assumption Cemetery. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 24, 2002