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Teddy Muller nearly didn’t live to see adulthood – but he made it to age 99.
Born in Romania on Oct. 25, 1925, Teddy came of age at a time and place where millions of Jews — including much of his own family — perished in the Holocaust.
By all accounts, Teddy, who died on Sept. 29, had a happy childhood along with his two older siblings.
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But then the Second World War broke out and, as his family says, “life dramatically changed.” Teddy was forced into a slave labour camp, while his siblings and mother were put into concentration camps.
The Soviet Red Army liberated Auschwitz on Jan. 27, 1945, but for Teddy’s mother, it came too late. She was killed the previous day, something his family says haunted Teddy for the rest of his life.
Teddy’s account of those years is preserved in the Shoah Foundation archive, a lasting record of the brutality he endured.
Two years after the war ended, Teddy came to Winnipeg — and within 24 hours of arriving, he found work as an upholsterer. A year later he opened his own shop — Art Upholstering — and he ran it until he was 88.
Teddy was proud of the homes he helped furnish with his skill, but he was even more proud of his work restoring historical furnishings brought to him by Parks Canada.
“Teddy never had to take out an ad as his sterling reputation spoke for itself,” his family says. “Teddy had golden hands that crafted high quality showcases of his trade and artisanship.”
And Teddy didn’t stop even when an arsonist destroyed his business. “With the help of Fred and Cynthia Brick, Teddy rebuilt Art Upholstering from the ashes,” his family says.
“The same resilience that brought him through the war, brought him through a devastating fire where no arsonist was going to dictate his future.”
The business was sold in 2014 and continues to exist today.
Winnipeg is also where Teddy met his wife, Marie, a fellow Holocaust survivor. They married during the 1950 flood and spent 69 years together, raising a daughter and a son.
“His support and love for his family was unconditional,” his family says. “He was a giver and never asked for much. Sitting on his deck, surrounded by his plants and apple tree, filled his heart and soul.”
In addition to his wife, Teddy was predeceased by a granddaughter and son-in-law. He is survived by his daughter and son, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Read more about Teddy.
How They Lived
John Lyons helped house low-income families.
John, who was 79 when he died on Sept. 30, was hired in 1976 by St. Andrews Place Inc., to manage its newly opened housing complex for low-income seniors on Elgin Avenue.
When other groups asked for help to manage their own properties, the non-profit S.A.M. Management was created.
John was general manager for S.A.M. for 25 years and, after retiring, continued to consult with non-profit organizations.
Read more about John.
Lil Atamanchuk worked hard to get where she wanted to go.
Lil, who died on Oct. 3 at 89 years of age, put herself through St. Mary’s Academy by delivering more than 200 copies of the Free Press six days a week, as well as delivering fish and chips and working as a bowling pin setter.
After graduating, Lil worked for 35 years with the federal government until she retired from the Old Age Security department to look after her parents.
While photography was her passion — she took thousands of photos and owned more than 20 cameras — she also loved to bowl.
Lil was secretary for several bowling leagues, was a bowling coach for more than 70 years, and later touched the lives of more than 6,000 kids by volunteering at her grandchild’s school and being an assistant mini-soccer convener at her local community centre.
Read more about Lil.
It doesn’t say it in his obituary, but Dr. Jeff Bews helped many people by treating cancer and preventing it.
Jeff, who was 65 when he died on Sept. 28, was director of medical physics with CancerCare Manitoba.
He assisted people with cancer and his department helped monitor X-ray machines in dental offices for radiation safety.
Read more about Jeff.
Alan Pakarnyk was an animator and filmmaker.
Alan, who was 78 when he died on Oct. 2, created the animated films Terra and Carried Away for the National Film Board.
He also worked on other movies including doing the visual effects for Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary as well as the props for The Arrow mini-series.
Read more about Alan.
Allan Holm helped many with their insurance needs.
Allan, who was 85 when he died on Sept. 26, worked with Sovereign Life in Winnipeg until he was transferred to become office manager of the company’s Toronto office.
He returned to Manitoba in 1968 and bought an insurance agency in Powerview. At the same time, Allan was the Village of Powerview’s secretary-treasurer.
Allan sold the Powerview agency in 1983 and bought one in Lac du Bonnet, which he ran until he retired in 2005.
He was one of the first brokers to earn the Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker designation, and he served on the board of the Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba.
Read more about Allan.
A Life’s Story
Norma Jean Schusller kept her family business open and helped it thrive after her husband died.
Norma, who died on Feb. 2 at 93, was a speech and hearing pathologist at the Child Guidance Clinic when she quit to join her husband full time at their store Boes.
Bo and Norma Schussler in 1985. (Supplied)
When he died, Norma took the reins and her hard work earned accolades: she was a finalist for the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1995 and earned the Manitoba Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
“She would always help my dad,” daughter Laurie Keats said of her mother’s time at the store before she went full time.
“She would work there every Saturday at the Grant Park Shopping Centre. They would have date night at the pizza place in the mall after work.”
Read more about Norma.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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