Taxis were family affair for Spring founder

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This article was published 30/11/2008 (6456 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WHEN Tommy Springman retired as principal at Andrew Mynarski School two decades ago, he didn’t take it easy — instead, he bought himself a taxi company.

The 76-year-old founder of Spring Taxi died Saturday afternoon at Seven Oaks Hospital.

Daughter Nata Spigelman said Saturday night her father bought Star Taxi in 1989 and renamed the company, but he’d owned cabs for many years before that, and drove a taxi on weekends when he was a teacher in Winnipeg School Division.

"From the time I was a little girl," she said. "He did his education degree in the evenings, then he would operate his cabs and drive them on weekends."

The family eventually owned 11 taxis they operated with Duffy’s, before Springman bought his own company. The family sold Spring Taxi this past February after building up the fleet to more than 30 cabs, including wheelchair-accessible taxis.

Springman was from Tisdale, Sask., and started teaching in a one-room school before moving to Winnipeg, where he taught in several schools in Winnipeg School Division.

Daughter-in-law Lisa Springman recalled Saturday night that most adults in the family ended up working for Spring Taxi at one time or another — some in the office, some behind the wheel.

Springman also leaves sons Maurie and Mal, and seven grandchildren.

His wife, Pearl Springman, died about five years ago. He is survived by his second wife, Hope Springman.

The family expects to finalize funeral arrangements today.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca