Memorable Manitobans: Rose Portigal Spivak (1904-1989)

Community activist.

Born at Winnipeg on 20 January 1904, she studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music then, on 26 June 1927, married lawyer Malick David Spivak, with whom she had two sons: Sidney Spivak and Frank Spivak. Active in the community, she was the first President of the Women’s Division of the Jewish Welfare Fund and, during the Second World War, was a charter member of the United War Relief Agencies. She served as President of the Ezra Chapter of Haddassah and President of the Winnipeg Haddassah Council. She was also active in the National Council of Jewish Women and a founder of the Golden Age Club for senior citizens. In 1937, she was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal for meritorious community service. She died at Winnipeg on 30 April 1989 and was buried in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.

Sources:

“Social and personal,” Manitoba Free Press, 1 June 1927, page 8.

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 2 May 1989, page 38.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 2 November 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!