Heloise Stillwater was born in Winnipeg on December 8, 1912. She was the oldest child of three children born to Reuben and Minnie Goldstein (nee Tobias). Her sister Donna Fenson was born 14 months later and her brother David was born 5 years after Heloise.

She was educated at Argyle Public School and graduated from Kelvin High School. Her father Reuben was one of eight children, seven boys and one girl, Rose, who raised and took care of all of her siblings, none of whom married except Reuben and later David. Reuben was the only one to have children. The brothers worked for the Grain Exchange — none were professional.

Reuben married Minnie Tobias and he worked as a Telegrapher at the Winnipeg Free Press. Though it was the Depression, even his modest job was a blessing. Due to her family's love of learning and through her bachelor uncle's modest savings, Heloise was able to attend the University of Winnipeg. Later Heloise's brother David also attended university.

One of her fondest early memories was of her beloved maternal Uncle Bill's return from World War I. Captain William Tobias returned a decorated war hero, being awarded the coveted Military Cross. He arrived the first day of Grade 1 to walk his niece to school. Heloise remembered how handsome he looked in his uniform and she was so proud. She also remembered how he introduced her to her first grade teacher. Later 'Uncle Bill' would achieve a place in Manitoba history as a lawyer, and a member of the Provincial Conservative Party and became an MLA. During the Depression, the young Goldstein family lived in modest rented accommodations during the Twenties and Thirties, and lived for some years in the Windsor Arms Hotel, where the vaudeville stars lodged. Her earliest memory was one of an Irish chamber maid whose most precious gift upon her return to Ireland for a visit with her family was of a dozen fresh raw eggs — a most original and welcome gift from Canada.

The Goldstein children were loved dearly by the six bachelor Goldstein Uncles and one maiden Aunt — Rose Goldstein who remained at home to 'mind the men'. They strongly urged the three children to further their education beyond high school. They pooled their meagre incomes and it was partly through their help that Heloise attended the University of Winnipeg. Her brother David graduated with a science degree and Donna went on to secretarial school. Heloise was a popular successful student and was elected President of her sorority Delta Phi Epsilon. As was the custom of those pledges upon graduation, each girl presented Heloise with a lovely, treasured, embroidered hankie. Even until her eventual move in 2007 to the Sharon Home, she was able to fondly remember each gift and its sender.

Heloise graduated in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts — Honours English and went to work in several secretarial positions until she worked finally in the War Bonds office. In 1942, she married Barney Stillwater (born 1905, Bricene, Bessarabia, Roumania —died Winnipeg, 1988) at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. She was a lifelong member of the sisterhood and of the shul. Their twin children Minda and Lyle were born in 1950.

Heloise was a lover of opera, ballet, art and the symphony. One clear memory was attending a concert of Russian pianist Seige Rachmaninoff playing one of his own compositions. She attended plays and became a modest patron of the arts until her mid-nineties.

Due to the baby boom in 1960 and the need for teachers, she went back to University to be able to teach English, becoming a supply teacher for grades 7-12. She attended the University of Manitoba and graduated with a Bachelor of Education, a teaching certificate, and went on to take library science courses. In 1963, she was hired as a full-time teacher librarian at St. John's High School where she reluctantly retired 11 years later upon reaching retirement age.



After retiring, her lifelong love of learning continued, and she eagerly enrolled in several interest courses per semester at the University of Winnipeg. She was presented with a certificate of thirty years attendance in the lifelong learning group, and was a lifelong member of the Lillian Freiman Chapter of Hadassah and a member of the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAGS).

Heloise joked that she lived on the Winnipeg public transit as Barney was never comfortable with her learning to drive and Heloise subsequently rode the bus unescorted well into her mid-nineties so she could attend her many classes and interests. One interest that Heloise enjoyed, even before it became mainstream, was collecting antiques; they were a passion her entire life.

Her love of education was passed onto her children. Her son, Lyle, became a medical doctor graduating from University of Manitoba in 1975. He became the Chief Resident in the Department of Otolaryngology at Stanford University, California from 1978-1981. He also served in the United States Army from 1987-1996 rising to the rank of Major. He was President of the Tulare California County Medical Society in 2000. He has been in private practice from 1987 to present in Visalia, California and has written numerous articles for medical journals. Minda graduated in 1990 with a diploma from Seneca College in Toronto as a library technician.

Heloise was immensely proud of her five grandchildren. Lyle has two children - Ariana and Ryan. Minda has three children - Richard, Darrell and Diana. She was also very proud of her five great grandchildren, including Ryan's three children - Tessa and twins Aaron and Evelyn and Richard's two children - Jacob and Arielle.

2012