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Beatrice Millman (Bea) Bazar R.I.P.
Written by Diana Thebaud Nicholson // November 26, 2011 // Absent Friends // 6 Comments
Beatrice Millman Bazar (1914-2009) passed away peacefully on September 28, 2009, just 3 weeks shy of her 95th birthday. Married to Bernard Bazar for over 63 years, she is survived by her 2 loving sons, Leonard in DC and Ronald in BC, 6 grandchildren and 8 great grand children. Her incredible smile, wit and kindness, her unconditional love to all who her passed her way, and her delight in friends and family will be forever missed.
As Beatrice said in her final days, she had a long and wonderful life. She was Westmount tennis champion in 1931, in 1935 she opened the first pre-kindergarten school (Montessori) recognized by the Quebec government and was a Sunday school teacher at Shaar Hashomayim Synogogue. She co-founded the Dominion Gallery of Fine Art with her mother, and was a founding member of the Youth Division of Canadian Jewish Congress. Beatrice spent many years working with Bernie in his Rex Pharmacy on Greene Avenue while pursuing her organizational initiatives.
Friend and colleague of Pierre Trudeau and Gérard Pelletier, Beatrice worked behind the scenes to bridge gaps and link key people over many decades. During her years of community service, Beatrice served actively on numerous advisory councils. In later years she was a citizenship judge and a Voting Returning Officer. Beatrice founded many NGOs and held Senior Office on many boards.
Awards and Honors:
1991 Order of Canada
1978 The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal
1973 Scroll of the Declaration of Human Rights of New Brunswick
1972 United Nations Medal
1967 Government of Canada Medal for “Distinguished Service to the Nation”
President, United Nations Association in Canada
Director, Canadian Human Rights Foundation.
President, Canadian Association for the Club of Rome.
Chairman, Canadian Committee for a Community of Democracies.
Convenor, Canadian Friends for Human Rights and Democratic Development.
President du comite pour l’Annee internationale de la paix, l’Association pour les Nation Unies
Vice-presidente, Conseil quebecois de l’environnement
Vice-president, International Committee for a Community of Democracies
Chairman, Foundation for International Training in Third World Countries
President, Canadian Institute for International Affairs
Our friend Robert Galbraith puts it so well: It was a real shock when I stumbled upon the obit in the Gazette yesterday. Like a book that you see on a shelf, you never know what one’s life contains till you open it and read it. This is what I realized from the obit. Beatrice had a long and good life. I will miss her sitting quietly in the corner.
Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 4th at 11:00AM at Mount Royal Commemorative Services, 1297 Chemin de la Foret, (off of Mt Royal Ave in Outrement).
Beatrice was a lifelong friend of Israel. Please plant a tree in Israel in her name in lieu of flowers.
Special thanks to Donna Hutchinson for her devoted care during the past year.
Memorial website for your comments and condolences to the family
Gazette obituary and Guest book
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To Ron Bazar and all the friends of Beatrice Bazar,
I made an error in my last message with regard to the date of the annual meeting when Mrs Bazar was recognized as Honorary member of our organization. It should read: “ At our annual meeting in May 2008, UNAC and UNAC-Greater Montréal recognized her as an Honorary Member of Greater Montreal Branch in grateful recognition of her volunteer efforts to support the objectives of UNA-Canada and all her achievements.”
Sincerely
Michèle Bertrand
Dear Sir,
I was very sorry to learn that Beatrice Bazar passed away last Monday. She was a dear friend even if I met her nor not so long ago, around the year 2002. In the last years we had very interesting luncheons at “Chez Nick”. I was very fond of her. And she spoke dearly of her family which was very important to her. As you say so well, her incredible smile, with and kindness will always be remembered, as well as her intelligence of the World and her creativity. She was for a long time a very important member of the United Nations Association in Canada, both in Ottawa and at the Greater Montréal Branch. We had the honor to count her among our most faithful members. She came as often as she could to our annual meetings and to the public lectures we organized à UNAC-Greater Montréal. At our annual meeting in May 2208, UNAC and UNAC-Greater Montréal recognized her as an Honorary Member of Greater Montreal Branch in grateful recognition of her volunteer efforts to support the objectives of UNA-Canada and all her achievements.
On behalf of the members of our Board and of all the members of UNAC-Greater Montréal, please accept our deepest sympathy for your lost.
Michèle Bertrand
Présidente
Association canadienne pour les Nations Unies – Grand Montréal
United Nations Association in Canada – Greater Montréal Branch
6 Comments on "Beatrice Millman (Bea) Bazar R.I.P."
Both of my children attended Montessori. Having read about her career, her method, her success, I wouldn’t have had it otherwise.
Now I discover that we owe the establishement of Montessori in Montreal to Mrs. Bazar.
I know it is too late, but I still wish to thank Mrs Bazar for such an excellent deed and foresight.
Dear Bazars, it was a beautiful and fitting memorial. may her inspiration live on……..Lois-terri
Thanks for sharing. What a pleasure to read!
Update 26 November 2011
Dear Family and Friends,
As some of you know, my daughter Kaima and I have put the e-book of my Mum’s diary and more into a printed book that is just now available in print form!
https://www.createspace.com/3708611
With full colour photos and pictures and more.
BeaBea (Beatrice Millman Bazar) wrote a diary in the summer of 1931 on her trip to Europe.
It surfaced a few weeks prior to her death and we have decided to publish the diary as it is truly an amazing piece of writing plus lots more on her life.
Here is an excerpt from the back cover:
“BeaBea: Her Diary Her Life
Beatrice Millman Bazar: Her diary from the summer of 1931 and highlights from the rest of her life.
Authored by Ronald M Bazar, Kaima Bazar
This book is a compilation of documents including the amazing diary of Beatrice Millman from the summer of 1931. While BeaBea (her affectionate nickname) spoke of her teenage diary to her grandchildren over the years, it was rediscovered weeks before her death, which was 16 days prior to her 95th birthday. This book is the true story of her youthful adventures in Europe in the summer of 1931 as she recorded it daily in her diary, followed by images and documents that represent a few of the memorable events and highlights of Beatrice’s rewarding life.
Beatrice Millman was born in Montreal on October 14th, 1914 in the early days of the Great War. She graduated top of her class from high school at age sixteen in 1931, and, as a reward, her wealthy bachelor Uncle Louis took her on a promised summer tour of Europe.
Beatrice’s diary is an inspiring travelogue that offers a fresh perspective of Europe between the world wars from the eyes of a bright, energetic and sophisticated young woman. They traveled first class by luxury liner to France and then from Paris by chauffeured limousine, staying at the very best hotels. They traveled at a dizzying pace on roads that were often unpaved and in poor condition, visiting the great cities and sites of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and England.
Beatrice met every day with energy and enthusiasm. She vividly describes the sights, sounds and her favourite activities of eating, dancing and meeting new people (including the famous French movie star Maurice Chevalier). Beatrice’s love of life emanates from the pages of her diary. Her commentary about the Great War and her related feelings hint at her later life’s priorities and accomplishments. This diary is genuine, unedited and written from the heart.
Beatrice Millman went on to live a life of accomplishment. She received the Order of Canada and The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal amongst her many medals. She founded, co-founded and was on the Boards of many organizations. She was instrumental behind the scenes in working with Canadian John Humphrey in the early drafting of The Declaration of Human Rights for the United Nations and was a long time Director of The Canadian Human Rights Foundation. She was President of The United Nations Association of Canada, President and a Director of the Canadian Institute for International Affairs and helped set up The Foundation For Training In Third World Countries.
With original letters and postcards, this book is much more than an exciting travelogue. It will bring you back in time and place to an era that is long past. You will be elated by the diary and saddened when it ends at the end of summer. You will be amazed at her life’s accomplishments for she was a pioneer for women long before women’s rights came of age. She just did it, quietly and successfully.”
It is available here: https://www.createspace.com/3708611
CreateSpace is Amazon’s print-on-demand publishing arm.
It will be available also on Amazon.com in a few days as well for worldwide distribution.
It is 8 ½ x 11″ and is a beautiful book and memoir of BeaBea’s life.
Ron Bazar
I miss you Bea Bea and am grateful for your example of love. It continues through the family you’ve left behind.
Rosie Bazar Ward
I rented her sons cottage beside hers. She’d watch my dog and made great cookies was most I knew of her for first few months. As just the adorable landlady she was amazing. My dog would sit beside her on the couch as we talked. Probably embarrassed myself telling her how impressed I was she was so well informed thinking just a fun landlady. I did make her laugh either by choice or circumstance.