Municipal official.
Born at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1913, he attended school and worked in various communities in Saskatchewan before moving to The Pas, Manitoba in 1940. He worked in the family business of Ben Dembinsky Limited for 25 years until his wife’s death in June 1967. He served on the town council of The Pas for 12 years until his election as Mayor in 1959. He served as Mayor until his electoral defeat in 1971. He was active in publicizing northern Manitoba in his travels, as well as for his fur ties, which he presented to such visiting dignitaries as Ed Sullivan, Winston Churchill, and Prince Philip.
He was a member of Rotary Club for 25 years and Elks Club for 30 years. He was regional president of the Boy Scouts and the Red Cross, and was active in the Canadian Diabetic Association. In 1965, he received the Golden Boy Award for his public service. In ill health, he moved to Winnipeg in 1975.
He died in January 1977 of a heart attack while vacationing at Palm Springs, California. His body was returned to Manitoba for burial in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. He is commemorated by Trager Drive in The Pas.
“Golden Boys honor 12 Manitobans”, Winnipeg Free Press, 8 November 1965.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 22 January 1977, page 98.
We thank Henry Gutman for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 July 2019
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