Arthur Schafer: Somehow, Paul, I never thought of you as a quitter. A mere forty-five years in the academic trenches, facing uppity inferiors, and you decide to throw in the towel. Without wishing to “one-up” you, I can’t resist noting that after forty-four years of hard labour I’m still going strong; well, still going, at all events. Perhaps I can offer a couple of anecdotes from your misspent youth. When I was still slightly underage for beer drinking, your encouragement led me to take my first sip, in one of Winnipeg’s many insalubrious beer parlors. I can’t blame you for my life as an alcoholic, since I have never been tempted to drink more than once or twice a year and then only in the most abstemious manner; but if I had become an alcoholic, the finger of blame would at this moment be pointing in your direction. You were also responsible, indirectly, for my one act of teenage defiance (of parental orders). When my mother said “no” to my request to drive to Minneapolis with you and Freddy Wintrobe, I went anyway. Surprisingly, or not, that was the one time in my life (to date) when I felt the need to challenge parental authority. Indeed, aside from the domain of politics I have led a remarkably boring life of deferential conformity. I still have fond memories, BTW, of an evening we spent in The Padded Cell, a Minneapolis nightclub, listening to two very fine Israeli folksingers. Alas, their names no longer pop into my head. Perhaps you can remind me. Before I conclude I feel that I should share with you a small resentment against you which I have harboured for half a century. When you would ring me up the night before or even the week before an exam, I would invariably decline the opportunity to “go out”. I wanted to finish first in every class and that meant, for me, studying pretty solidly for a month before exams. You, by contrast, would read your statistics text books the night before any exam and on that basis you would score your A+. At the time, I thought that it was unfair that I should have to work so hard to achieve the exam results that you achieved effortlessly. That was my view then. It’s still my view now. So, you taught me that life wasn’t always totally fair. Have a wonderfully productive retirement, Pinny. Doubtless you will soon graduate from neighbourhood politics to run for Mayor of San Francisco or Governor of California. I know, however, that you won’t be running for President of the USA – because it isn’t yet legal for someone born in the North End of Winnipeg to do so.

Art Hirsh: Paul,my memories of you are mostly of your childhood when I sometimes was called to babysit at 451 Magnus Ave. Your mom was a great pastry baker and I got a lot of good samples everytime I came over. I was always in awe of your dads creativity as well. If you can remember when you opened a kitchen cabinet the light came on and if you had to go to the bathroom the radio began to play. You made all of us very proud of your accademic accomplishments. I retired in 1992 . For me it was easy as I practiced not overdoing work for the 30 years in the insurance business. You will find everyday is Saturday and Sunday now that you are retired. Enjoy your freedom and stay healthy. Kindest personal regards from all of us here, Your most senior cousin, Arthur.

Bill Neville: Oddly, one of the most vivid memories I have - vivid in the sense that I can see it in my head - is one of us in the UMSU offices (after you had successfully managed my campaign for UMSU president) studying for our final examinations on a weekend(s?) in which the offices and the building were virtually deserted. I remember them as rather intimate moments when, during the regular breaks from the studying, we talked about very personal feelings and values and aspirations.

Dora Rosenbaum: Hi Paul here is some trivia not about you but your dad as Harry remembers. Your dad was ahead of his time. You'd hear music in the most unexpected places (bathroom) also if you lifted up the phone music would go off. A phone man who would in marveled at the things that he did - as Harry often said - he was a man before his time.

Doody and Rachel Cohen: The reason for not contacting you sooner is PLAYN& POSHET procrastination Meanwhile,we hope you are all well, and beginning to enjoy the advantages of true maturity(When you find out what they are, please let us know too.).We will probably recall (for your scrapbook )a few things labelled "Hashomer Hatzair-Winnipeg", Ships crossing in the night Tel-Aviv , and California, -Yiddisher Peach Seder in Davis,&Birthdays in Palo Alto. Incidentally,our Grandchild Daniel is studying @U.C.Berkeley(major not yet selected), and his brother Blake(formerly Aviva),will be coming to U.C. Davis next fall.We hope we can get together soon. Doody&Rachel

Jim Diamond: You and I go back about as long as anyone in our respective lives. That is something I cherish to this day and for which I am very thankful. I hope you know how important you were to me in those formative years. We hung out a lot together, both at 451 Magnus and at 342 Boyd. We both shortened the lives of many a Peretz School teacher. Two things we did stick in my mind, and I cannot claim that they were significant undertakings. One was our joint attempt to build a radio. This must have been in 6th or 7th grade, though you may have a more precise fix on the year. We had some kind of blueprint and we spent many after-school afternoons tinkering in one of our basements. We reached a point, I recall, where we had gone as far as we could go but we couldn't figure out how something called the transformer fit in to the circuitry. It really had us stumped. At some point we decided: to heck with it, we've got most of the components wired up, so let's just go with that and give it a try. We plugged it in. Pop. Bang. Smoke. Black stuff all over the place - and the end of the radio such as it was. It was only later that it became sort of clear to us what the problem was. Such at least is my memory. Our other attempt to contribute to human culture - and I cannot now recall just when this was - was our joint interest in figuring out the science of winning at shtook. To do this I think it was your idea that we play out hundreds, if not thousands, of hands and record the data to see if we could pick up patterns or percentages. Who knew about algorithms? And the word "computer' had not made its way to the North End of Winnipeg. So again, after school we sat and played out hand after hand and dutifully wrote each one down in a little bichel. Maybe you still have that bichel; I don't. I do know that after a few hundred hands I think we began to reach some conclusions, or at least we fancied that we did. The tragedy is I don't now know what they were. Maybe you do. Somehow we felt that we actually had enough data and it was time not to play more hands but to put our new-found knowledge to use. I don't think we did. We started looking at girls. The rest is history.

Bayla Wamburi: One collective memory of you stands out. I remember the good camaradie and of course the many jokes between you, my father and your father. Later on Fred joined you and this easy companionship always made me feel happy. Everyone here especially Edith [who now has two children] wish you and Gayle a wonderful retirement.

Harold Stone: Hi Pinny, two bits of trivia for the l959 version of yourself. You may or may not remember insisiting on retelling a joke which had for its puchline: 'because pink is the best part of the watermelon'. The other bit of trivia that floats to my mind you may not want to include in your website. Do you remember a rather chubby Patty Margolese saying to you: As soon as you buy a Nash Rambler that makes into a bed we can make beautiful music together'? On another topic, do you keep in touch with your cousin Phil Finkle? Oddly enough, his former wife, Gail (nee Steinberg) is part of a group that Reva and I play poker with occasionally, and we just saw her socially in Palm Springs last month. Looking forward to seeing you folks in June.

David Cohen and Maureen Cohen: When you were in New York (I think at Prudential Insurance), you wrote to Jerry and me. (You were around 18) We had a hell of a time trying to figure out what you wrote us, until we compared the two letters. You wrote every second word to each of us. And there was a time when you were thrown out of Mr. Durnin’s(????) class at Tech. I think you were correcting him on some of the answers, and you were correct and he did not like that too much. And of course, there was playing ball in the back yard of your home on Magnus. The back step was our target.(We were around 6-8) We were such great players!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure there is more, and if I remember any of it, I will pass it on. Congratulations on the retirement. Speaking from experience, I am sure it will not be boring. And of course, Hawaii is calling. So Aloha and lots of good wishes.

Aubrey Morantz: Best wishes on your retirement, a bitter-sweet occasion as we all know. If you had been told 45 years ago that you would be destined or condemned to spend 45 years in the same job in the same institution, you would probably never have launched your career in the first place. I had the good sense to retire after only 42 years in the same job in the same institution. I look forward to catching up at the St. John's tech reunion. Those early years remain vivid. I really can't account for the intervening years. And here we are getting toward the end, looking back (because there ain't much yet to come) and trying to make sense of it all. A scrap book is a great idea. My photos of you go back to kindergarten, but you have the same ones so there's no need for me to post them.

Bayla Tint and Les Tint: Where have all the years gone? Just yesterday, we were little cousins growing up in Winnipeg, playing baseball with your mother, eating all her amazing variety of goodies, being amazed by your father’s futuristic electronic gadgets and playing board games in your basement playroom. The game that most stands out is Chess, taught to me by you, my younger cousin. I was 6 at the time and you were all of 5. After loosing constantly, disenchantment set in and I refused to play Chess with you any longer. Ten years later, I agreed to play Chess with a friend if he would only refresh my memory on the movement of the pieces. After several moves, he realized I had him Check Mate. Apparently, fool’s mate had been dormant in my subconscious all those years. No way could I convince him I was not a Chess player. Fast-forward ten more years, as the above scenario repeats itself. This time I was on a first date with a fairly nice guy who wouldn't believe I was not a Chess shark. We never dated again. You may have been totally responsible for a break up of a beautiful friendship. I never played Chess again!!! Happy Retirement Pinny, with love from your Bridge Playing Cousin, Bayla. Les & Marni also send their best wishes. Our heartiest congratulations on the completion of your long and very successful stint at Stanford. We remember fondly the warm hospitality you offered for our week-end stay at your wonderful eire on telegraph Hill in the late '90s, and the delicious food we enjoyed at the charming restaurant you took us to in the neighborhood. We still can't get over the fantastic panoramic view of San Francisco you enjoy through all of the windows of your apartment there. In retirement do you expect to remain there in San Francisco or split you time with stays in you place in Hawaii?

Sheldon Sigesmund: Hi Pinny Congratulations on what was obviously a distinguished career. You "came a long way baby" from the halls of St. Johns Tech to the campus of Stanford University. Looking forward to seeing you at our re-union in June.

Faye Dixon: Some random thoughts of our early childhood fun .... We learned to play cards at a very young age. I must have copied you (being left-handed) and to this day I (right-handed) hold my cards backwards. I also remember us doing card tricks. We loved the water and learned to swim at Winnipeg Beach and Pritchard Pool. You got a two-wheeler and I learned to ride on your bike. We went to the movies often -- The Palace, State etc. Our favourites were Laurel & Hardy. We were both terrified after seeing "The Spiral Staircase". Remember the yo-yo contests at the Palace? We had a "fair" in your backyard on Magnus for which you created paper money so the neighbourhood kids would have lots to spend in exchange for their pennies and nickels. You were into high finance at such an early age. Then, there was Fred's birthday. In a game of Chinese tag, Phil ducked and you & I collided resulting in a scar for you and dental work for me. These are but a few memories from Cousin Faye.

Jerry Cohen: A scrapbook, eh? What a wonderful idea! What I'd like to do is to offer you some "stream of consciousness" memories, most of which are probably too trivial to include in the scrapbook. So here goes: * In grade 1, I "married" Annette Lieberman in your basement house on Magnus. I believe you were the "Rabbi". Gosh, was that really 65 years ago? I seem to remember it vividly. * Speaking of Magnus avenue, you were the only one of my friends whose phone number was the same backwards and forwards: 58785. * Our years at Peretz School were memorable. "Boys after Girls" and "Girls after Boys" in the Aberdeen playground. Also "Kick the Can". When we visited that site at our 2001 reunion, it looked like a postage stamp! But I guess we were smaller then! I remember Chaver Lapin's dictionary, and Chaver Greenberg breaking rulers over our hands; mine many times; probably never yours; and the mysterious pen thefts. Wasn't it you and Arthur Werier who Chaver Zolf appointed as the class detectives? And was that mystery ever solved? (It wasn't me!) * Leaping ahead, I remember the pride I felt in having one of my buddies president of our High School. Speaking of "public office", I loved working as your "chief lieutenant" in Brian's UMSU presidential campaign. Was it you who coined the phrase "BK is OK"? Heady times, eh? * your tutoring me on the eve of the 2nd year Calculus exam. I think I even passed. My love of math prevails to this day. It's what I taught during my teaching career. I love doing math puzzles with my grandkids. My easy mastery of bridge probability tables is certainly an assett to my competitive bridge play. I'm sure some of all that is your influence from school days! * you and Curtis running down the boardwalk at Winnipeg Beach. I won't tell what you were wearing at the time! * having you as an usher when Carole and I got married * as though it were yesterday, how thrilled Carole and I were to hear that you and Gail (Carole's best friend) were dating; then getting engaged; then getting married. How wonderful we felt about that! * how generous you and Gail were in hosting Carole and me for a few days at your gorgeous home in San Francisco * more recently the wonderful day Susan and I spent with you and Gail at your home in Hawaii. * our Bison reunion in '01,reliving the memories of our youth, and how much we're looking forward to doing that again this June. So my old friend and buddy, those are some of the things that come to mind. I've always felt that my dearest friends are my old friends. And I'm honored to have you as one of them. Enjoy your retirement. Susan and I wish you and Gail good health and many more years of good times.

Fred Cooperstock: In my pre-teen years, I was cousin Pinny’s junior side-kick. These were fine times for me as I now recall the experiences that we shared. Imagination was the key. We marveled reading about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, how thrilling it must have been to wander into some obscure cave and unearth treasures from so many centuries past. In our minds, we constructed a utopia community where every person was accounted for with home, work and family connection. We designed a car that we would propel with a hand crank from the driver’s seat and even explored nearby junkyards and bought some parts for the assembly. Uncle Louie had to break the sad news to us that our project was doomed to failure and we returned to our all-consuming passion, the real world of the automobile. We would take the Salter bus to downtown Winnipeg and visit the show rooms of the car dealers, feeding the salesmen tales of our parents’ agony in having to decide between the purchase of a 1951 Cadillac Eldorado or a Chrysler Crown Imperial (photo enclosed), and we would receive cherished brochures to bring home, supposedly for our parents. (Our parents were as likely to be such potential clients as they were to be elected to leadership in Islamic Jihad). On the bus going back home, we would amuse ourselves with loud conversations about our supposed effete lives of luxury. Never did we consider how fishy our tales must have sounded to our captive audience of fellow passengers when we emerged, not at the more affluent ends of the Salter bus route but rather at Magnus Avenue in the depths of very downscale North End Winnipeg. (We added a touch of class to our street by renaming it “Sungam”.) Yes, cars were our passion. We would walk down a busy street and challenge ourselves to identify every car that we saw according to its make, model and year. Seldom were we stumped. We felt omnipotent with the possession of this enviable skill. We designed our own cars, drawing form after form and finally making large clay models. Those were heady days. As we advanced into our early teens, strict association within one’s age group was the imperative and our lives diverged. My only memory of my later Winnipeg years that included Pinny was my buying some mathematics texts from him. When we were both graduate students in the eastern USA, we visited each other a couple of times. Years later, I saw Pinny at one of my nephew’s bar mitzvah’s in Davis, California but there were many people attending so the memory turns hazy. However, I had an occasion to be at Stanford about 15 years ago and here the memory is very crisp. Pinny insisted that we use his car, a 50’s (?) model Buick Electra with fins that would be the envy of every shark in the world’s oceans. It was a big car, roughly the size of his apartment. When we were about to drive off, I noticed that Pinny did not use a key. Actually, he did not have one but was unconcerned as he reasoned that no thief would ever imagine that the car would start without a key. As well, it was probably the only car of its kind within 200 miles at least and hence easily spotted if stolen.

Fred Cooperstock [continued]: We had an enjoyable evening at a Japanese restaurant and on the way back to his apartment, the car ran out of gas (no warning- the fuel gauge had given up in the 1980’s of its life). As Pinny walked off to find a gas station, the ladies chatted in the front while I ran laps in the area between the front and rear seats of the car. Because of the then-existing regulations, I had to retire 3 years ago but Pinny was able to continue. Now he has chosen to retire and I am delighted to be able to assure him that retirement is great. I wish him many many years of the happy opportunities that await the application of his fertile imagination for the times ahead. Who knows, maybe we’ll even have a chance to go chase some more beautiful new cars again.

Left to right: Fred, Crown Imperial, Pinny

Jeremy Cooperstock: Vinita also suggested I add that for several years following our sabbatical, one of our favourite refrains that Teva eventually picked up as he grew to learn the words was a frequently repeated chant of "Anachnu holchim levaker et Pinny ve Gail Switzer" (we are off to visit Pinny and Gail) even though we had long since returned to Montreal!

Taken while Jeremy, Vinita, and Teva were visiting us in Paris.

Surrie Desnick: I enjoyed my youth growing up in Winnipeg with a closely-knit family of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents all living nearby. My house seemed to be the center of everything as Baba and Zaida lived in my house, therefore we had most of the holidays like Passover here. Everyone gathered at my house and we sure had a good time together. Our families also spent summer time at Winnipeg Beach. Those little cottages with outdoor plumbing left a lot to be desired, but our families seemed to think it was fun. I spent a lot of time at your house as well. I played in your basement. Your dad set up a large train set that I liked to watch in action. I also liked to ice skate or play hockey in your back yard. You were the first in the family to have TV so I know I came over to look at that new technology. I also enjoyed all the inventions that your dad set up. Having cousins meant a lot to me. You stood out to me as you excelled in school. I know you did not want your mother to show off any of your achievements but she shared them with the family. I know you as Pinny and did not know your name was also Paul until you went to the University of Manitoba. I also remember when you were going off to graduate school and you and your mother came over to my house so you could say good-bye to Zaida. Your mother was crying and I could not understand why she was crying. You were only going away to school. I did not understand this until I got married and moved away from Winnipeg what the impact of moving away from home meant to me and what it meant to the rest of the family. I can't believe that 45 years have gone by since you started at Stanford. Incredible. You had other opportunities like at Insurance Companies but you chose Stanford and what a good choice that was for you, the school and the students. Mazel Tov on this great achievement. Enjoy your retirement.

Pinny [left] with some cousins around 1948. Surie second from right.

Howard Wong: Retirement will likely find you even more active in neighborhood issues, such as your and Gail’s stellar work to bolster public transit, the Coit 39 Bus, Pioneer Park…

Ruth Terna: Paul, Gail and I are new found friends. They came into my life as new neighbors replacing my neighbors of over 35 years. I watched their new home in Haiku Plantations being built and bonded with the family that moved in. Needless to say after so many years of friendship and sharing I was devastated to have my neighbors leave. All the usually questions what kind of people are moving in, will we get along, etc, etc. I was very tentative as my old neighbors discussed with me who the new owners might be. I must say they were most wise in not make assessment to me on what they thought . Well, I was truly happy when I meet Paul and Gail for the first time and immediately felt comfortable in their presence and knew that I would have friendship from next door. I am looking forward to them spending more time in Hawaii and getting better acquainted. It will be nice to see warm welcoming lights next door and chats at the mailbox and over the fence.

Gella and Shikl Fishman: tayerer pinye/pinkhes, mir shraybn dir af yidish vayl undzer khavershaft iz tif farbundn mit der yidisher shprakh un mit di yidish-veltlekhe shuln - dayn shul in vinipeg, kanade un undzere shuln in bronks, NY un filadelfiye, PA. azoy iz es in der lang-doyresdiker geshikhte fun undzer folk. tsezeyt un tseshpreyt iber der gorer velt un dokh farbundn mit layb un lebn in a goldener keyt fun yidishkeyt. mir lebn uf ven mir redn yidish ysvishn zikh. mir farshteyen zikh, nit nor mitn kop nor mitn hartsn oykh. mir filn say an akhrayes, say a freyd. say a sheferishe geshikhte, say a lebedike itstikeyt. un vegn morgn? zol zikh got zorgn? neyn! oyb mir redn yidish tsuzamen haynt, veln mir redn yidish morgn un ibermorgn oykh. di tsukunft iz oykh in undzere hent. sheferishe mentshn, vi du lemoshl, tsiyen zikh nit tsurik. zey pensyonirn nit. zey geyen foroys, mit frishe koykhes un gedanken. keyn leydikgeyer kenstu nit zayn! mir hobn a khaverte vos ruft di naye tsayt fun lebn "reengagement". efsher tsvishn ale dayne plener vestu oykh gefinen a khoshevn ort far der velt fun yidish-shafn un hemshekh. mir vintshn dir aza freyd fun dergantsung un derheybung. mir zaynen zikher az tsu vos du vest zikh nor nemen, vet dayn gutskeyt, mentshlekhkeyt un erlekhkeyt mitgeyn mit dir a lebn lang. der emes iz, az fun di dray bilder fun dir in farsheydene stadyes fun lebn, iz dos drite bild di same shenste! mir kukn aroys afn fertn bild. dayn shmeykhl vestu nit farlirn. un tsaytike khokhme oykh nit. got hot dikh bentsht mit zeltene feyikeytn un zey veln mitgeyn mit dir af alt-naye vegn. a letster vuntsh. akhroyn akhroyn khoviv! a lebn lang mit Gail, dayn zivig min hashomayim! in khavershaft mit brokhes, gele (Gella Schweid Fishman) shikl (Joshua A. Fishman)

Russ Weidman: One of my best coming-of-age events was visiting with you and Gail (and Ken) somewhere around 1965 or 1966. I remember, of course, the topless shoeshine in North Beach. I remember spending a night under the stars in a hunk of forest you had bought (perhaps, I think, your first real estate purchase). Then there was a visit to the Dow Chemical plant I think in Redwood City where we timed how long it would take before the local police showed up. It didn't take long - and here's the picture! Great memories! Congratulations on your retirement. I'm sure you will be keeping very busy still.

Busted in Redwood City

Karen Lasky: I barely qualify under your (old & new) 'friends' category of your scrap book, however, my close association with your Brother Fred, should count for some pre-qualification, as I began to know you, through him. Statistically speaking, and in all probability, we have spent less than 200 hours in each other’s presence. Nonetheless, you have had a profound affect upon me, with a whole host of first time experiences, including meeting you, and your family. You gave me a personal view of your San Francisco with pure gusto and open enthusiasm. I experienced the amazing views, sites galore, the exhausting steps, rain, focaccia, which made the rain tolerable, the Stanford campus, lest I forget the special guest suite floor bed; all of which are now firmly imprinted in my memory. I was privileged enough to spend your uniquely themed 70th Birthday event in Santa Barbara. This single opportunity provided a window into your background as Pinny the Son, Student, Educator, Husband and Father. More recently, you introduced me to Hawaii in the same gracious style, while we spent time in your “Retirement” home? (HMMMM...) set in the Kaneohe Mountains. We explored Diamondhead, the ocean, the surf, spectacular views and each other's humour, along with becoming better friends. Your impending retirement from Stanford inspired the “poem” that Fred and I delivered during our visit, and I have included it here, along with some memorable moment our recent visits together. I know you will continue to love living, and live learning always.

Karen Lasky with Ken,Gail,Fred Switzer at Hawaii home

Karen Lasky and Fred Switzer: A great honor to others have you brought Four decades of students have you taught Your calcs and statistics and numbers galore They kept coming back for more and more But time has arrived for you to Retire Although that won’t stop you to Inspire All of us around you totally agree And know that in time you too will see A Life’s work like yours is never complete So much more still yet to achieve Travelling the globe, was your good fortune Even though, hard work was in large portion Far reaching, teaching and the many Awards Gail and Ken, the pinnacle of your Reward A history of successes worth working toward A lifetime of experiences, memories and more Who would have thought a guy from the “Peg” Would have had the ability to develop such legs From Knishes to Faccaccio, Halva to Brule St John’s to Stanford and Magnus to the Bay While we know, your roots you’ld never ignore There’s new possibilities the future has in store So now you’re retiring, how privileged are we That we can now regularly visit in Hawaii.

Fred Switzer: BROTHER TO BROTHER - RECOLLECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS Well Pinny you've given us a daunting, but fortunately, pleasant task. As your younger brother and frankly your only sib, I've known you longer than most, but not all. In my 66 years I've accumulated a tale or two. I'll leave it to others to reminisce about the first 4 years because they just don't exist in my memory bank. This is already beginning to sound like the old television program “This is Your Life” with Ralph Edwards. In the early years when we had mostly the same teachers, you set up a halo effect for me. Because they knew what you were capable of, they were under the illusion that I would be the “second coming” of Pinny. But after the first hour, or in some cases less, that bubble burst. But surprisingly with the aid of smoke and mirrors I was able to fool some of the people at least part of the time. Unfortunately I could not fool all the people some of the time or some of the people all the time as the aphorism would lead us to believe. Pity. My last memory of this phenomenon was in university. As it turns out one of my first statistics professors was a classmate of yours and a recent graduate who was probably teaching one of his first classes. After some bantering back and forth and exploring the classes’ knowledge, he turned to me upon receiving no response to a query and said with a degree of resignation that this class would require some heavy lifting, “okay Fred tell them the answer”. I detected a palpable sigh of relief when he realized that I was no more competent than the others. Now he could relax about establishing his credibility without any trepidation. There would be no Pinny proxy looking over his shoulder. Being an older brother you had the onerous task of being a role model to the kid. Fortunately you didn't take this too seriously. The age gap helped me greatly. We got along just fine. You lived in your world and me in mine! Seriously though your presence during the formative years had a great influence on me even if at times it was more through osmosis. You were thoughtful and considerate with your time - well at least when mom made you do things with me. In actuality though I don't think there was much coercion. If that’s just a case of selective memory don't tell me now. Those early years of going to the beach, the rented rooms and cottages, going to the archaic pumps for our water and of course the inimitable stench of the outhouses are all part of our shared experiences. But one of my favorite memories of those beach days was how you relished telling me about how I slept on a trunk or was it in a drawer! Your interest in identifying cars rubbed off on me. There I was standing on the corner of Magnus and Salter calling out the make, year and model as you had with your friends. Frequently the mentor and teacher, you took on the onerous task of teaching me Latin at home because upon moving to West Kildonan for junior high, I hadn't been exposed to it. I don't know what your magic was but the Latin teacher was impressed with how I was able to compete with his students. Maybe that speaks to his teaching. Hmmm. I can't go much further without mentioning the influence of mom and dad. Mom was the social director, cook and pastry chef and oh the knishes. You paid homage to the knishes in your speech on their 50th anniversary. With the zeal of a statistician you computed the number of knishes she would have made to that point plus or minus a hundred dozen. Everyone there knew exactly what you were talking about and most had sampled and savoured them at one time or another. We both benefited from dad’s inventiveness, demeanour, wit and wisdom. In his quiet way he earned people’s respect and admiration. These are qualities imbued in you. He was almost as excited about the building of your San Francisco house as you were. Although he was getting on in years during the construction, he happily climbed up the wooden ladders, with the help of Ken’s support underneath, to inspect the “kishkas” of the structure.

Fred Switzer [continued] This naturally leads me to the hospitality you and Gail always afforded not only family members but everyone it seems you knew who came to the Bay area and more recently Hawaii. In short order you both became known by the neighbours and merchants who frequently called you by name as you shopped in the local bakeries and stores. As an example I will never forget the first time we went to the back door of a nearby Italian bakery for a pie that they normally don't sell. It is some kind of nefarious arrangement you have with the bakers that I'm almost afraid to ask about. Your enthusiasm as a tour guide is well known and over the years has not diminished. You give a true insiders view. Every time I visit I never fail to discover something new or see things in a different light as we continue to explore the city. Its been an adventure being your brother. Even though we have not lived in the same city for most of our lives, the bond is as strong as it has ever been. It’s been fun reminiscing about my life and times with you. Most of these stories are actually true! Above all I hope the best ones that are fit to print were not forgotten. Now that you are retired, ironically after the same 45 years that dad worked at the same job and on the same day, you will look forward to the next rewarding phase of your life. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode. I look forward to enjoying the ride with you.

Pinny and Fred - Then and Now

Rochelle and Jack Litvak: Congratulations on your retirement. May you enjoy many years`of happiness, health and peace. Retirement is not the end but rather thr beginning of a new chapter in your book of life. Enjoy the many opportunities that retirement brings. Should you need some lessons in the retirement process, we are available to assist in the exercise and we will offer a senior discount to you ( as a member of our immediate family) . Zie gezunt and welcome to the club!

Don Winkler: Congratulations on your retirement. I guess it's safe now to trot out this subversive archive, dating from July 1957, a clandestine image taken at the Brandeis Camp Institute in Santa Susana, California, not far from a military installation where rocket fuel was being tested at the time (we could hear the roaring from over the hills at various hours of the day). Anyway, here you are, with three other infiltrators, saluting what was then our Canadian flag on what was then, even for you, foreign soil. Had this document fallen into the hands of American security services, you might never have had your 45 year career at Stanford as a distinguished professor of statistics (a position that must have offered you perfect cover for your more confidential activities.) Don't know about that salute, though. Doesn't look very professional.

Harvey, Evvy, red ensign, Don Winkler, Pinny