Gerald Bronfman, a prominent businessman, community leader and patron of the fine arts, died Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He was 74 years old.
Born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, he was the son of Harry and Ann Bronfman and a nephew of Samuel Bronfman, founder of the Seagram’s empire. After graduating from McGill University, Gerald Bronfman worked at Seagram’s Distillers Corporation of Montreal. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force serving as a squadron leader. He spent several years in Washington, D.C. coordinating arms supplies for the Air Force.
At the time of his death, Bronfman was honorary president of the YM-YWHA, a Board member of the Allied Jewish Community Services, a member of the Board of the Canadian Friends of Haifa University, a governor of the Montreal Children’s and Jewish General Hospital and the Jewish Hospital of Hope, and president of the Mount Sinai Hospital Corporation.
Bronfman was a strong supporter of education projects and welfare organizations in Canada and Israel.
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