Lawrence Gamulka

GAMULKA, Lawrence, died peacefully July 28, 2020. Loving husband and best friend of Ala (Tulchinsky) Gamulka, father of Daniel (Jennifer Bayer), Beth (Walter Levitt), Jonathan (Rivka Houde) and the late Jonah. Special brother of Zina Goldberg Greene (Kenneth) and the late Lola Cohen (Yakov). Loving son of the late Gitel Goldberg and the late Yonah Gamulka and step-son of the late Eli Goldberg. Adoring Zaidy of Eliana, Avi, Noam, Jonah, Ben, Talia, and Isaac. Loving uncle and great-uncle to many.

Larry was a child in Rokitno, a shtetl in what is now Ukraine, and survived the Holocaust hiding in the woods with his mother. He came to Montreal at the age of 14, not knowing any English. Nevertheless, he became a teacher of English in high schools in Montreal, coach of the Provincial champion “Reach for the Top” team, actor in the Yiddish Drama Group, candy man at Beth Zion Congregation, and fan of “Abba jokes”. Larry was also a lover of literature and a proponent of using personal narrative to teach about the Holocaust. As part of his Master’s in English, he studied the literature of the Holocaust and later in life spoke about his own survival story in community gatherings and school settings. He was the consummate storyteller. He was the patriarch of an extended family, much beloved around the world. With an impish grin and a sparkle in his eye, children recognized in Larry a true kindred spirit. May his memory be a blessing.

Please consider a donation to honour Larry’s memory to a charity of your choice.

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