Gerald J. CHARNEY

Gerald Jacob Charney ("Charney" to virtually all who knew him) passed away peacefully, at home on March 29, 2024, surrounded by friends, family, and plenty of champagne. As he put it so eloquently: "I had a good run – far better than expected – and I'm ready to go." If we could all be so lucky! He is survived by his son, Noah (Kristen); four grandchildren, Ellie, Jamie, Bryn, and Rhys; his younger brother, Larry (Sandra); his nephews, Ted and Brian; and his niece, Robin. Born September 24, 1933, in Montreal, Charney attended McGill University, The University of Toronto, and Osgood Hall before embarking on a long legal career in Toronto, first as a founding partner of Sack, Charney, Goldblatt and Mitchell, and later as a mediator and arbitrator. Over his 50+ year legal career, he mentored numerous lawyers, typically over long lunches. While he was passionate about the law, that passion was exceeded by his pursuit of bridge, where he served as a member of Canada's bronze medal winning teams at both the 1968 and 1972 World Bridge Olympiad; his love of European wine, food and travel; and his passion for (watching) sports, particularly the Toronto Blue Jays, who rarely managed to live up to his lofty expectations. A special thanks to Charney's numerous friends, who were always happy to take him out for dinner (and drink several bottles of wine), swing by his apartment to watch baseball, or just walk around the block. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your own wine collections, in the spirit of Charney. Cheers to living well!