On Saturday, January 4, in the presence of his beloved wife Elena, we lost our favourite, brilliant artist, Valentine Ioppe. He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 2 decades, Elena, as well as his son Igor Ioppe and step-daughters Ruty (Ruben) and Marina (Rami), and four grandchildren.

Valentine was three months old when the war broke out in Odesa, and he and his family narrowly survived the Nazis by escaping deeper into Soviet territory. He would often tell the story of how his father, an officer in the Red Army, saved their family as the Nazis invaded Ukraine. Valentine grew up and lived for much of his life in Moscow, where he completed the Moscow Academy of Architecture (МАРХИ) before becoming a valued member of the Artists and Architects Unions and was a well-known figure in the Russian art scene. As a talented artist and architect, his walls were always adorned with colourful and brilliant paintings, covering a range of different artistic styles and movements, though he loved abstract expressionism most of all. In the 1990s, Valentine made a new life with his family, settling in Montreal, Quebec before moving to Toronto, where he lived for over 3 decades. Throughout his life, he remained dedicated to his passion for architecture and the arts. He instilled these interests into those around him, always encouraging us to engage in creative pursuits, visit art galleries, and appreciate the beauty in the world around us.

 

Valentine was a tremendously warm and loving person, and always had a good joke or anecdote to share. G-d granted him many talents: He was a wonderful musician, played guitar and piano, and had a beautiful baritone voice. He also was a gifted writer and poet, authoring a book called “A Kaleidoscope of Memories / Калейдоскоп памяти”. We say goodbye to him with very heavy hearts, but we know his legacy will live on in his paintings and writing for years to come.

 

“Дал стольких гениев,

Мой маленький народ.

Он выжил вопреки несчастьям и злодействам.

Религия растворена в еврействе :

Внутри у каждого искрится БОГ.”

 

-Poem by Valentine Ioppe

 

Donations in memory of Valentine Ioppe can be made to JRCC South Richmond Hill and Maple.