Obituary of Leslie Victoria Prizeman

After years of courageous living with multiple illnesses, Leslie Victoria Prizeman slipped away peacefully on May 9, 2020. Left to mourn are her beloved wife Kimberly of 20 years; brother Gordon (Sharon); sister Wendy (Gerry); mother-in-law Kay; brother-in-law Eric (Sonja); father-in-law Dwight (Sharon); much-loved dogs Holly and Karma; 8 nieces and nephews and their families; and family in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. She was predeceased by her parents Douglas and Kathleen Prizeman (nee Hurd). Leslie and Kimberly shared a love of many things: their cavalier spaniels and terrier, all things British, their mindfulness practice, strolls through the English Garden at Assiniboine Park, Japanese dinners at Yujiro, fine red wine, photography, art, literature, late afternoon lunches on summer patios, and travels to the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico and Canada. Leslie was passionate about teaching. In her forty-three years in the classroom she had many accomplishments. Leslie’s student-centred approach empowered students to be successful not only academically, but personally. Her public school days were spent in the Louis Riel School Division where she made many lifelong friends. After studying Learning Styles under Kathleen Butler, Leslie became a consultant and trained teachers throughout the province. She wrote Provincial ELA (English) Curricula and travelled to China and Japan. The highlight of her career was teaching at The Collegiate at The University of Winnipeg and at the university itself, her much-cherished alma mater. She enjoyed the diversity of courses she taught and felt especially lucky to work with international students in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet grade nine program she helped develop for The Collegiate. At her retirement reception she stated that teaching was, ultimately, “all about the kids.” Leslie found pleasure in birdsong, Frank Sinatra, the works of Emily Carr, dynamite rolls, audiobooks, the children in her life, Reuben sandwiches, Old Speckled Hen Ale, morning cups of Starbucks with the sun on her face, fresh air at night, and phone calls with family and friends. Discovering ancestors and relatives through the Ancestry website brought Leslie great joy. The “new” family she embraced will forever miss her infectious enthusiasm. Leslie’s great love of literature culminated in her reading Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments, a work she called brilliant and perfect. Leslie was a deeply-rooted prairie girl known for her beautiful smile, dancing eyes and deep and abiding friendships. She had a rich inner life which sustained her, especially during times of stress and illness. She saw the beauty and awe in all things, and will be forever missed and remembered in moments of quiet contemplation and meditations of the heart. We are grateful for the compassionate care from her physicians, especially Dr. Harwood-Jones, doctors Ludwig, Cordova-Perez, and Dillon, and Estrallita at Cardio One. As well, a thank you to Dr. Tam and staff on Cardiology 5a and the Pacemaker Clinic at St. Boniface Hospital. Memorial service to be held at a later date. Donations in Leslie's honour can be made to The Collegiate at The University of Winnipeg Continuing Student Scholarship at https://netcommunity.uwinnipeg.ca/crowdfunding/2020/collegiate-continuing-student-scholarship or by calling The University of Winnipeg Foundation toll-free at 1-866-394-6050, or to a charity of your choice. “i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)” -e. e. cummings Arrangements entrusted to: Alterna Cremation 2495C Henderson Hwy. East St. Paul, MB R2E 0C2 Tel: 204-808-4490