Asher Gransby

GRANSBY Asher May 23, 1914 - November 6, 2009 Asher passed away gently with his family beside him at Rosewood Manor. Born Asher Baruch Benedict Gavronsky in London, England, he was the eldest son of Dr. Jacob Gavronsky and Mary Kalmanovsky and godson of Alexander Kerensky. He was brought up in the Nash Terraces and attended Beadales before becoming an architect and designer. As a young man, Asher worked as a tea taster in the family's Anglo-Asiatic Tea Company, a set designer at Pinewood Studios, and on several English heritage buildings. In World War II his fluency in five languages led him into British Intelligence where he served in North Africa, Italy and Scotland and as chief liaison officer and Russian translator for the British Command during the post-war occupation of Vienna. He married his beloved Lee (Baby) Ososki during the war. On a lucky Friday the thirteenth of September, 1957, the family sailed for Canada, where he set up his own interior design firm after working for city planning, Woodwards and Eatons. Asher enjoyed skiing, and winning seniors' medals, until he was 78. He was an accomplished watercolourist with a love of art, music, travel and Lee's wonderful cooking. He was a true gentleman from another era. Predeceased by his brother Leo in the Western Desert campaign in 1942, he is survived by Lee, his wife of 66 years, daughters Susan (Harrill), Linda, grandson Josey and Lisa, Sean, Kit and Lee Bjornson and their families. We are so grateful for the exceptional care provided to Asher over the past few years at Rosewood Manor. A donation in his memory can be sent to: Rosewood Manor Care Foundation, 6260 Blundell Road, Richmond, B.C., V7C 5C4 or to the Alzheimer's Society of B.C. No service by request.