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Irving ABELLA Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Irving ABELLA
23 Entries
Gordon Henderson
August 6, 2022
He was an inspiring teacher, a great Canadian... and a real mensch. I offer sincere condolences.
Barbara Corcoran
July 15, 2022
Lady Justice Abella and family, My sincere condolences on your loss. I am so saddened by this news. I met Professor Abella at Global and he was always so kind. May you find comfort in the many memories of happier times.
Barbara Corcoran
YLS
Harvey Simmons
July 14, 2022
Dear Rosie, All my sympathy for you and your family. You probably don´t remember me but I met you a couple of times years ago when you were walking with Irving on Glengrove Ave. around the corner from my house on Glenview Ave.
I did not know Irving well, except by reputation, but one memory of him stands out. A long time ago, for reasons that now escape me, Irving and I were playing on the same softball team in a game at Glendon College. During the last inning, an opposing player hit the ball into left field where Irving was stationed. He caught the ball on one bounce and from a long distance threw the ball directly to me where I was trying to prevent the hitter from scoring a home run. Irving´s throw was picture perfect but, alas, I dropped the ball and the runner scored. From that day forward, any time I saw Irving´s name mentioned I immediately thought of his perfect throw and then my dropping the ball. So, he wasn´t just a fine historian he was a terrific softball player as well.
Best wishes,
Harvey Simmons
Margaret Rodrigues
July 12, 2022
With deepest sympathy to Rosie and all the family from Margaret Rodrigues, a former colleague of Rosie at the Ontario Ministry of Labour.
Shaun T MacIsaac QC
July 12, 2022
My condolences to the Hon. Rosie. I am grateful for Irving's passion for great causes. He advocated with passion throughout his life.
Joanne Cohen
July 10, 2022
As a former CJC affiliated Jewish scholar and human rights advocate I learned so much from Prof. Abella's works in Canadian Jewish history especially A Coat Of Many Colours. In our winning Supreme Court and Parliamentary submissions on behalf of the Coalition of Canadian Liberal Rabbis for Same Sex Marriage I had the pleasure as a legal scholar of seeing Madam Justice Rosalie Abella presiding at one of her earliest cases at the Supreme Court. We have lost a giant. My deepest condolences to you and yoir family.
Jennifer Hild and Naomi Weisman
July 7, 2022
Dear Rosie and Family,
Naomi and I are sorry for your loss. Our dad had nothing but nice things to say about Irving. We remember him saying " now there is a smart man" He will be missed by many. Our thoughts are with you all
Michiel Horn
July 7, 2022
It´s hard to believe that Irv is gone. We first met when we were graduate students at the U of T, and in 1968 Edgar McInnis recruited both of us for the small but growing History department at Glendon. We worked closely together: he lectured in the introductory course in Canadian history, and I led three of the six tutorials. We also played squash and turned out for the faculty flag football team. He was a delightful person: a source of jokes of which I still tell some. I didn´t see him much in recent years, when his life in retirement came to focus on Ottawa. The last time I spoke with him was at a Blue Jays´ game in September 2021. If he was already ill he did not mention it. It´s sad that there will be no further conversations. He was a good colleague and good friend. I extend my condolences to Rosie and their sons and grandchildren. May Irv´s memory be a blessing.
Bruce Mintz
July 7, 2022
I offer my deepest sympathies to my former University of Toronto law school class mate Rosalie Abella and family on the passing of Irving Abella. May he Rest In Peace.
Tom Vadney, Vancouver
July 6, 2022
Godspeed. Tom. Modern History, U of T, Class of 1963.
Tina Brown
July 5, 2022
I had the pleasure of meeting you both earlier this year when you made your move back home to Toronto as I was part of your unpack team and then got to help you guys get settled in .In the short time knowing Irving I felt welcome into your home and loved getting to know you both ... Love and prayers are with you Rosie at this time .
Leo Altberg
July 5, 2022
I am saddened that the world has lost Professor Abella. I had the privilege of being endowed with his historical perspectives during my studies at Glendon College 1970 to 1973. He was way more than an adequate professor of history. He was a professor of life. He taught me that I was Uber capable, right from wrong and that history is not monolithic but a kalaidescope of rays of truth piercing otherwise shrouded recantations of myopic events.
My best memories are extended to his wife and family. He was a mentsch.
gloria goodman
July 5, 2022
Dear Rosie and Family, I am very saddened to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I am so glad I had met and knew Irving. God Bless You. xx Gloria (Goodman)
Michael and Miriam Bendel
July 5, 2022
Sincere condolences on the passing of Irving, Z"L. May the mourners be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
Anna Porter
July 5, 2022
So sad for all of us who knew him and loved him. Itch. In addition to his brilliance, his myriad accomplishments as an academic, a writer, a leader, he was a magnificent human being - warm, sympathetic, steadfast, perceptive, lovable. My sympathies to his family.
George Surdykowski
July 5, 2022
Dear Rosie and family,
I was deeply saddened to learn that your beloved Irving has passed. He was a true mensch who will be long remembered. I am very sorry for your and the world´s loss.
Ratna Ray
July 5, 2022
Dear Rosie, Thinking of you and the family and sending you hugs at this infinitely difficult time. With heart-warming memories of our time, Ratna
James Warren
July 5, 2022
Professor Abella was one of my all time favourite teachers at Glendon College, York University. He was fun and interesting. I always enjoyed going to class. Most importantly, he taught us all to think and understand that any issue can be understood from many different points of view. To this day, his teachings are still with me. He had a marvelous impact on his students. And, I am very grateful for his teachings and insight.
I was able to thank him personally one day many years on when I saw him and Mrs. Abella at a restaurant. He was very bashful of my compliments.
Thank you, good kind Sir.
Markus Stock
July 5, 2022
Dear Rosie and family,
I was very saddened to hear about Irving's death. On behalf of University College, I'd like to express my deepest sympathies. I am very sorry for your loss. Irving's wonderful legacy will live on.
Steven Mosher
July 5, 2022
I'm deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Abella. He was my professor for three courses that I took at Glendon College in the 1970s. I extend to his family my sincere condolences in this difficult time.
D. W
July 5, 2022
Thank you Professor Abella for instilling in me a passion for Canadian history that I continue to pass on through my own teaching.
You were an incredible teacher and a brilliant man.
Joseph Baglieri
July 4, 2022
Irving was a great teacher and an even greater human being. Together with fellow teachers Bill Irvine and Joseph Starobin, he made my years at Glendon the memorable and formative experience that I continue to remember fondly and with a certain sadness at its passing, but grateful to having lived it through.
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