JOSÉ PONÉIRA
February 8, 1923 - June 22, 2013
José Ponéira, 90, of Winnipeg, MB passed
away peacefully on Saturday, June 22,
2013. José is survived by his loving wife
of 58 years, Gladys, son Rick (Colleen),
daughter Melody (Mark) Clegg, two
grandchildren, Wesley and Norah, three
step-granddaughters, Jennifer, Cynthia and
Samantha, and two great-grandsons, Jack
and Colin, as well as his dear nephew,
Georges (Elizabeth) Tremel of Jasper. José
was preceded in death by his parents,
Alexander and Frieda, and his sister
Martha.
José was born on February 8, 1923 in
Lubeck, Germany. After enjoying a
privileged childhood and studying music in
Zurich, Switzerland he was forced to flee
their home in Europe, abandoning their
possessions. The young José fled through
Europe, emerging eventually in Argentina
after spending six months in Cuba. It was
during these formative years where José
developed his love of Latin Music which he
would later influence his music style.
In 1947 José moved to New York where he
played in all the popular nightclubs of
the time. José eventually made Canada his
home moving and supporting his family
along the way. José, the accomplished
pianist, composer and marvelous
entertainer also made his mark appearing
on Canadian TV and radio with his own band
performing an eclectic blend of classical
and South American music.
José's life was incredible, mixing with
stars of the silver screen, even playing
at the engagement party of Grace Kelly and
Prince Rainier of Monaco. In his final
years, José became a local icon playing in
the Palm Room at the famous Fort Garry
Hotel, Winnipeg. José played there for the
better part of the last 20 years of his
life entertaining a generation of Winnipeg
residents. Despite failing health and near
blindness José made his final appearance
shortly before his passing.
A true gentleman, José will be dearly
missed by family and those privileged to
call him friend. A special thank you to
the Riverview Hospital staff of 3 East in
Winnipeg for their loving care, compassion
and support.
A celebration of his life will be held on
Thursday, June 27, 2013 starting at 7:00
p.m. at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home in
Winnipeg, MB. In lieu of flowers,
donations can be made to the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind, 1080
Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3G 3M3.
"Gone yet not forgotten, although we are
apart, your spirit lives within us,
forever in our hearts".
For those who wish to sign the online
Guest Book please visit our website.
Chapel Lawn www.chapellawn.ca
As published in Winnipeg Free
Press on June 25, 2013
|
WINNIPEG PIANO ICON WAS A
FIXTURE IN NYC, TOO
Ponéira played for stars but kept humble,
son says
There will be no more encores for José
Ponéira.
Ponéira, a one-time fixture on the city’s
nightclub scene, died Saturday at the age
of 90 after a brief illness.
Ponéira fronted trios and quartets for
several decades in Winnipeg and in
nightclubs across Canada and the United
States.
 In Winnipeg,
his quartet was popular at the now-defunct
Rancho Don Carlos.
Ponéira was at the piano for Sunday brunch
in the Fort Garry Hotel’s Palm Room for 20
years, last playing there for his 90th
birthday in February.
“He was an excellent pianist and a
wonderful human being,” bandleader and
pianist Ron Paley said. “He was a musical
inspiration to me. We’ll miss him.”
His son, Richard, said his father was a
humble man.
“He was an extremely gracious man who was
very grateful for everything he got. He
never took anything for granted.”
Ponéira’s star shone brightly on stage but
he took a circuitous route to get there.
Richard Ponéira said his father came from
an affluent German family. José’s father
was a doctor and his grandfather on his
mother’s side was Wilhelm von Humboldt,
who founded the Humboldt University of
Berlin and is credited with establishing
the modern western education system.
The family fled their homeland for Spain
in 1934 as National Socialism was taking
root. The family operated a ranch in Spain
but lost everything during the Spanish
Civil War and returned to Germany, only to
flee again in 1941, this time for
Argentina.
Ponéira’s wife of 58 years, Gladys, said
it was in Argentina where José developed
his love of Latin music, which would
become his signature style.
Richard said his father moved to New York
City in 1947, where he became a fixture in
the nightclub scene, playing at the famed
Waldorf Astoria and the popular Harwin
Club, where he met Gladys.
“He knew all the stars and celebrities and
moved in that circle,” Richard said,
adding his father once played at a party
for actor Robert Mitchum in 1949, and one
of José’s trios provided the music for the
engagement party of Grace Kelly and Prince
Rainier of Monaco.
José and Gladys came to Winnipeg in 1955
and stayed. “We liked it so much, we
stayed and eventually became citizens,”
Gladys said.
Richard said his father solidified his
reputation locally during the 1950s and
1960s, playing regularly at Rancho Don
Carlos and getting his own national weekly
show on CBC television, A Song For You,
from 1962 to 1964, which included
guitarist Lenny Breau in Ponéira’s
quartet.
Richard said his father took the family to
Toronto and Vancouver in the late 1960s
and early ’70s, but returned to Winnipeg
in 1976.
Even though effectively blind and deaf for
the last 10 years of his life, Richard
said his father continued to entertain.
“He was a very humble man who worked very
hard,” Richard said. “His family lost
everything, but that never fazed him. He
appreciated everything anybody ever did
for him.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Aldo Santin 2013
As
published in Winnipeg Free Press on
June 24, 2013
|
|
