Percy Fishman
Percy Fishman was born in 1906 in Tzucrufka, Poland. His mother, Yochevid (Jessie) Switzer, died when Percy was 13, and his father Moishe Fishman remarried.
Percy escaped to Germany when the Polish army began recruiting 16-year-olds and over the next four years he travelled to France, England, Bombay, Belgium and Holland. He was captured at one point and spent time in prison.
He then worked as apprentice to a tailor, as a shipboard kitchen helper, and as an interpreter – having learned French, Flemish and English during his travels.
Percy’s goal had always been to immigrate to Calgary where his older brother Shmeil and his aunt Bella Singer lived. He was finally able to purchase a passport in Holland and found a job on a cattle boat traveling from Antwerp to Canada.
He arrived in Calgary in 1926. For the next ten years Percy sold clothing in residential areas. He then operated a second-hand store where he also did tailoring. He lived with his brother at 334 –12th Avenue E., then rented a home at 433 – 12th Avenue E.
In 1930 Percy married Sophie Rosenthal. They lived in rented homes – first at 117 – 7th Street N.E. and later at 61 – 8th Avenue E. In 1937 Percy moved his family to “Little Chicago” in the Turner Valley area.
There he was the proprietor of the Variety Furniture Exchange. The family lived in two rooms behind the store, and Sophie worked with Percy in the business. In 1943 they built a home in that area.
In 1947 they moved the building to Calgary, at 320 – 12th Avenue N.E. At that time Percy was the proprietor of the Variety Hardware at 235 – 8th Avenue E. In 1948 he and a partner bought the Army surplus Bargain Centre at 235 – 8th Avenue E. In 1948 he and a partner bought the Army Surplus Bargain Centre at 235 – 8th Avenue E. From 1949 to 1976 he was the sole proprietor of that business.
Sophie Fishman died in 1970 and Percy married Bessie Shapiro in 1974. (Bessie died in 1986.) Percy lived at the Beverly Nursing Home until his death in 1989.
Percy had been, at different times, President of the Jewish Family Loan Association, the Beth Jacob Synagogue and the Chevra Kadisha. He was also a founding member of the Shaarey Tzedec Synagogue and was on the hospital visiting committee of B’nai B’rith.
Percy and Sophie had three children: Helen, who married Ben Goldenberg in 1948 and had four children – David, Sherry, Sheldon and Darlene; Mollie, who married Sydney Gladstone in 1956 and had four children – Debbie, Janice, Cheryl and Gary; and Mel, who married Deanna Shuster in 1965 and had two children – Sheva and Flynn.
Most of Percy’s brothers and sisters lived in Calgary. They were Sam Fishman (Ethel Singer), Jack Fishman (Lily Switzer), and Lily (Max Katz, Moishe Manusewitz). Oldest brother Mendel Fishman stayed in Poland and perished in the Holocaust.