Alice von Graevenitz

Alice Helena Hamp was born March 29, 1936, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to German-speaking immigrants from Poland. Her parents had immigrated just before the Great Depression, which brought a decade of unrelenting drought and dust to Saskatchewan. Her father Gustav was never out of work, however, and he eventually emerged as the owner of a small business, “Hamp’s Skate and Cycle” on 2nd Avenue. As with many immigrant-run businesses, it was a family affair, and Alice and her brother Harry spent many hours working at the store and at the nearby arena where they rented skates, or picking weeds and rocks at their farm near Beaver Creek. Alice’s mother Wanda (née Ablass) was a seamstress, and the family eventually flourished in their new large home on Saskatchewan Crescent, directly across from the Bessborough Hotel (one of the historic CN hotels). Since many of their relatives immigrated around the same time, Alice and Harry grew up surrounded by Hamp-Heine and Ablass family.

After 1945, the 3-storey home became shelter to many refugees from the numerous Displaced Persons’ camps in Germany, mostly family who had remained in Poland and survived WWII. The large house became small, “filled to the rafters” with people starting their lives over. Alice recalled often sharing her bed with someone, and her mother always cooking and worrying about the many mouths to feed.

Nonetheless, there were moments of fun and play. Her cousin Lucille’s stories recall an Alice who was adventurous, creative and mischievous:

“Alice was always the ‘one in the know’. She would think of the things to do and always knew music...often giving a recital at home. The curtains between the living room and dining room were the perfect setting, and were always flung open for the ‘next act’. She always knew what movie was playing and places to be.”

One time, when a famous Hollywood actor was known to be staying at the Bessborough, Alice led her cousins Ellen and Lucille across the bridge to the hotel, where, after “first sitting at the big stationary desk in the foyer, ‘stealing’ some Bessborough letterhead writing paper from the drawer” they found themselves on the same floor as the celebrity. The hotel staff were on to them, however, and the girls were escorted out with warnings.

Sorrow came to the family when their beloved mother Wanda died from cancer January 23,1953 at the age of 46. There had been much hope, since she was one of the first patients treated at the world’s first cobalt cancer therapy unit at the University of Saskatchewan. The entire family struggled with Wanda’s death. Alice could not concentrate at school, and her father sent her to the Pacific Lutheran College in Tacoma, Washington for the 1954-55 school year. The letters from Gustav to his daughter provide a rare glimpse into a caring, loving father, struggling with the loss of his beloved wife. Sadly, most of Alice’s memories of her father were fear-based since he could also be violent. Years later, Alice would explain, “He had a lot on his plate.”

The following year, Alice started at the U of Saskatchewan, eventually obtaining a BA in Social Work. There, she and her brother Harry were very active at the International Students Club, a vital social and cultural hub hosting dinners, music and dance events, discussion panels and excursions to local attractions. They particularly enjoyed visiting Emma Lake where they became friends with the artist Ernst Lindner. It was at the Club where she met many dear life-long friends, including her husband, Ernst von Graevenitz. Ernst and Alice married in April of 1960. Contrary to Alice’s out-going personality, the wedding was a small and quiet affair at home with only 7 people. The small gathering was Ernst’s preference, and the couple remained opposites for most of their (61-year!) married lives.

Soon after, Alice graduated and found work as a social worker in Prince Albert. In 1962, Alice and Ernst moved to Chatham, ON where Ernst started with Agriculture Canada as a crop inspector. Two daughters were born in Chatham: Leta in 1962 and Heidi in 1964. Eric followed in 1970, after the family had moved “back West”, to Winnipeg, MB. Alice and Ernst would remain in the same house on Carriage Bay for the next 55 years.

First and foremost, Alice was a loving mother, wife and grandmother. Love was her basis, her foundation. We always felt and knew love. At the same time, she was a free spirit with an artist’s temperament, spontaneous, with no sense of time. She lived in the present, and could not be anything other than fully, completely and determinedly herself. This was wonderful when creating art, working with clay and painting Easter eggs, attending a concert or shopping at the Art Gallery boutique, but frustrating when it came to dinner, setting off on a trip, and – oh dear – weddings. Weddings combined two of her strong and unique traits: gift-giving and unusual, colorful clothing.

Alice’s special birthday and overseas gift parcels were awe-inspiring and world-renowned – always eclectic and, according to some recipients, life-changing, opening a whole world of creativity, calm and color. She knew the value of play and encouraged it at all ages. Her youngest child, Eric, was blessed with one of the most eclectic and epic toy and bike collections around. She would take him and a friend to the sketchy downtown arcades, as the youngest gamers by far, to let them while away the hours as she read in a nearby corner.

Alice surrounded us with music and books and art: interesting sounds, colors, and textures, along with unique tastes and aromas. Being born on the Canadian Prairies, surrounded by farming families, she was distinctly aware of the Big Wide World, of different ways of being, singing, dressing, and eating. For many, it’s difficult to imagine life before the internet, but the Canadian Prairies were really, truly remote. In our neighborhood, she was absolutely unique, hiring clowns for birthday parties, ordering hand-woven curtains from the Sahara and using artisan-made pottery when porcelain and Corningware were the norm. She was the first person in the neighborhood to get a wok, and our favorite family meal was Chicken Pulao (Punjabi style), which she learned from one of her best friends from the Punjab—although beet Borscht and marzipan were always her favorite comfort foods. Mom had friends of all backgrounds and rejoiced in their influences.

An artist at heart, Alice “found her people” in the vibrant Winnipeg arts communities, including (but not limited to) the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Warehouse, Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Folk Festival, the New Music Fest, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Fringe, and her beloved Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers. For Alice it was always about the people. She was a patron of many artists, buying pottery, jewelry or clothing from an artisan, or pushing money into the hands of a performer and whispering, “Shh - don’t tell anyone.” Many will remember her gifts of Dad’s homemade wine and Costco chocolates. But hugs were her specialty, and she gave and received them often and with genuine warmth and feeling. She was so proud to call many of these amazing people her friends.

Alice struggled to accept her own unconventionality, and yet neither could she deny it. Our mother was a musician who eventually refused to play music! She had played the piano incessantly while growing up and was a soprano with perfect pitch in the Lutheran Church choir, but she lacked the confidence to acknowledge her own talents. All this energy, she channeled into recognizing and encouraging talent in others, from pottery, jewelry and lapidary, wood-working and sculpture, painting, music, writing, dance and theatre. Music remained the chord that resonated most in her life. It gave her unlimited joy and solace. There was always music playing in our house, of all different genres – classical, folk, rock, soul, African and Caribbean being family favorites. Towards the end of her life when she struggled with advanced dementia, she would still listen intently, and cringe if someone was off key.

In the mid-70s, Alice started volunteering at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, where she was placed at the Handmade Village. It was a perfect combination of arts and crafts, community and eclectic music. Eventually, our whole family came to volunteer and the Handmade Village crew became our “summer family”. Alice and Rosie, the “Mayor” and creator of the village, became life-long friends and Alice and Ernst celebrated their 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries at Rosie and Grant’s farm.

Alice’s encyclopedic knowledge of the Arts and Music scene began with her love of film. No one was allowed to talk or move when the movie credits rolled - “Oh! Tyrone Power! Lena Horne!” She recognized the artistic brilliance of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and especially Sammy Davis Jr, not only because he was incredibly multitalented, but because he had to overcome such adversity. She read voraciously about film and much of her library was enthusiastically accepted by the Winnipeg Film Group before she moved to Ottawa in 2023.

At the Fringe Festival, she became known as “the lady with the knot on her head”, for her famous hairstyle of long hair braided and coiled up into a bun. During Fringe season, her regular schedule was: wake at noon and rush off for a 2 or 4pm show – she would see about 5 shows a day – and return … around 4am, having partied at various performers’ gatherings most

of the night. “Partying” for Alice did not involve alcohol or drugs, but good conversation about art and creativity and community. In 1992, Alice became Roadie-extraordinaire when she drove a dear family friend across Western Canada to tour her fringe show. She was known for her open-mindedness, generosity and generosity of spirit.

In her later years, Alice was sadly affected by dementia. Her memories gradually receded, but she remained fully Alice: she never forgot how to love, she always appreciated good music and played the piano almost to the end of her life. Even when she forgot how to swallow (a common occurrence in dementia sufferers), she never forgot her love of language and doing crossword puzzles.

Alice’s unorthodox nature and eccentricities sometimes made her a bit strange to others. She often didn’t get the recognition and respect she deserved, even from herself. In the end, she was right about so many things, and it took great courage to carve her own path. Contrary to her opinion, the world really was a better place with Alice in it…and she had a (mostly) wonderful life!

Alice was predeceased by her husband, Ernst von Graevenitz in 2021. She was also predeceased by her mother, Wanda Hamp (1953), her stepmother, Alma Hamp (1973), her father, Gustav Hamp (1990), as well as her brother, Harry Hamp (2006). She is lovingly remembered and celebrated by her children, Leta, Heidi (and Mike Nahir) and Eric (and Holly Pearce) and her grandchildren, Daniel Nahir (and Samirah), Hannah Nahir, Wolfe von Graevenitz, and Bjorn von Graevenitz, and great-granddaughter, Jamilah Nahir.

The family would like to thank the many loving and patient caregivers who brought comfort and joy to Alice over the years, in particular from New Orchard Lodge (Ottawa), Ottawa West Community Services (Ottawa), the amazing people at PRIME (Winnipeg), Right at Home (Winnipeg), and JTRC Care Services Inc (Winnipeg).

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in.

- Leonard Cohen

In lieu of flowers, please support your local artists and arts communities!