ARTHUR BLANKSTEIN January 25, 1945 - November 14, 2016 Arthur M. Blankstein passed away, surrounded by family and friends, at the St. Boniface Hospital, in Winnipeg, on Monday, November 14, 2016, after a lengthy illness. He was predeceased by his parents, Cecil and Claire (Diamond) Blankstein, both of Winnipeg and Israel. He is survived by his husband, Kenneth Ure; brother, Max Blankstein (Yael) of Israel; aunt, Marjorie Blankstein (uncle, Morley z"l) of Winnipeg; Uncle Fred Blankstein (Pearl z"l); four nephews, 11 great-nephews and great-nieces, and cousins in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Israel and the U.S.A. Arthur received his Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of Manitoba and practiced in Winnipeg and Toronto for more than 45 years. His skills are well known in Winnipeg and beyond. He was proud of the fact that his grandfather, Max, was the first registered Jewish architect in Western Canada and his father, Cecil, was the first Jewish graduate in Architecture from the University of Manitoba. Arthur sincerely cared about the future of the Jewish and general communities of Winnipeg and as a result, he was actively involved in serving on many organizations including the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and the Claribel and Saul Simkin Centre. He served as Treasurer of the Norwood Community Centre and Secretary and Membership Chair for St. Boniface Conservative EDA. At the Asper Campus Corp. Facility Department, he assisted and worked in the implementation of the Campus renovations. He served on the Board of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, where he designed the Hallway Museum and assisted in their new space design. Arthur also served on the Rady Jewish Community Centre Jewish Life Committee, and on the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre Board. He was the founding member and a past president of the Manitoba Chapter of the International Facility Management Association. In 2004, Arthur was a founding member of Anakhnu, Rady Jewish Community Centre's LGBT group. Along with Paula Parks, he was instrumental in bringing the World Congress of LGBT Jews Conference to Winnipeg in 2013. Over 100 delegates attended from Canada, Israel, South America and the U.S.A. The conference was awarded the Local Influence Award by Tourism Manitoba. Arthur Blankstein and Ken Ure were the first Jewish gay couple to be married at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue in Winnipeg. The family would like to thank the staff, doctors and nurses at the St. Boniface Hospital and Dr. Ray Singer for their wonderful care. Funeral services took place on Thursday, November 17, at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, officiated by Rabbi Alan Green, followed by interment at the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery and the Meal of Consolation at the synagogue. Eulogies were presented by his brother, Max Blankstein, and Arthur's long time friend, Rabbi Rokie Bernstein. Shiva took place at the home of Arthur's first cousins, Ellen and Daniel Hamburg. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Arthur to the Arthur Blankstein Fund, in The Leaving More Than Memories Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, 204-477-7520. Arthur will be remembered as a "Tomorrow Man". He believed in and was sincerely concerned for the future of everyone. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.