Dr. Regina Lazarovich (née Wapniarski) was born in Uscilug, Poland in 1932 into a prominent, large orthodox family (Meltzman). Most of the family (92 of 100) were killed by Germans. Her parents and two brothers survived by escaping from the ghetto and being hidden in a well, shelter by a righteous Polish family. After the war, Regina finished high school and entered medical school in Warsaw. There she met Joseph, her future husband. She married, moved to Krakow and was awarded an MD degree. She worked as a physician in Krakow until 1967 when she left Poland to visit her parents in Montreal. While there, the antisemitism in Poland heated up to the point where going back was not an option. Over the next two years, she tried to get her son and husband out of Poland and was reunited with them in Montreal in 1969. She pursued medical research at McGill, working with Dr. Phil Gold, before passing her board exams and completing her internship at Montreal’s Reddy Memorial Hospital. The family then moved to Ottawa, where she opened her internal medicine practice in 1974.
After retiring, Regina and Joseph (the Shepherd of Canada’s Diamond Mining Industry) moved to Westmount to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They enjoyed travelling the world together, visiting every continent, and visiting Israel and Poland frequently. Once a year, they took the entire family on one of their fabulous trips. After Joseph died in 2016, Regina continued to live independently in her Westmount apartment. Three months ago she moved to the Waldorf Residence where she actively participated in activities and entertained visitors until her ultimate, week-long hospitalization at the Neurological Institute. Regina is survived by her son, Mark Lazarovich MD, and his wife Brenda (Stowe/Burlington VT), granddaughter Maya Lazarovich (Huntsville Alabama, MBA Tel Aviv University), grandson David Lazarovich MD (of Oslo, Norway). She will be missed by her cousin, Bat Sheva (New York), her niece Sandra (Toronto), Eli (Tel Aviv), Ilana (Vancouver).
Regina has to overcome all adversity in pursuit of the welfare, security and education of her family. She never gave up on her dreams, aspirations and principles. She was an inspiration to many. Her irreplaceable spirit lives on in her children and grandchildren.