“Music and family are my life”. Max Sherman – musician, partner, father and Zaidy

Shortly after noon, on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, Max Sherman passed away at the age of 93 after years of increasing vision impairment and a difficult journey with Alzheimer's. Max was born in Toronto, Canada to Eva and Morris Sherman on August 8, 1930, and was the younger brother of Saul. Max was a renowned musician and lived most of his life in Montreal before moving to Ottawa in 2022 to be closer to two of his sons’ families. Max was known for his ease in life, and his wonderful and witty sense of humor, each joke delivered with a wry expression that brought as much laughter as any punch line.

At the age of 40, Max began building a family with Patricia Trottier, and had three sons who were Max’s pride, joy and “greatest accomplishment”. Max and Pat remained good friends and co-parents after their marriage. After meeting Paula Merovitz in spring of 1991, Max and Paula spent the next 30 years loving each other and sharing their lives together. Max is survived by his sons Miles, Mark and David; their spouses Lisa, Stacy and Shereen; and six grandchildren: Morgan, Braden, Ethan, Seana, Eli and Gabe. He also played a large part in Paula’s family; celebrating milestone events and weekly Shabbat dinners. He will be missed by her children, Rick, Lisa and David; their spouses, Rachelle, Mitch and Karen; and Paula’s grandchildren Avery, Dylan, Taylor, Spencer, Sarah, Charlotte, Kate, Jordan, Will and Brooke. Special Uncle to Jessica Mallette, Steve Sherman and Caela Butt, brother-in-law to Lee and Nobua Kubota, he is predeceased by his beloved brother Solly, whom he lost when Max was still a younger man, and carried his memory close to him for his entire life.

Max’s life was defined by his love of music and performance. Max began his career in Toronto at the age of 14 playing saxophone and clarinet at Montreal’s Belmont Park. His education began at the Toronto Conservatory of Music and continued with a private scholarship in New York. He performed in his early years with Mart Kenney and his Western Gentlemen, spent three seasons with the National Ballet and time with the Toronto Junior Symphony as well as playing at Expo 67 in Montreal. Over his career, he had the opportunity to play with icons such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Harry Connick Jr., headlined the orchestra at the Caf Conc in the Chateau Champlain Hotel in the 70s and 80s, assembled bands for clubs and the wedding circuit during the 80s and 90s and, in his last years as a professional musician, played on cruise ships while he was enjoying his 70s!

Max was loved throughout his life by his family and friends. Celebrating birthdays, weddings, births, bar mitzvahs, cottage vacations and Christmases. Miles and David feel lucky and blessed to have spent so much quality time with Max over the past year in Ottawa: weekend dinners, monthly big-band nights and weekly visits. He always looked forward to the regular visits from his beloved Paula; his Sweetheart until the end. Mark made every effort to ensure that flights to Montreal, and then Ottawa, took place twice per year, and that frequent calls and FaceTime chats narrowed the distance from BC. Mark was blessed to have been with Max 2 weeks before he passed.

Dad, you have left us with beautiful memories, many dad jokes, and a legacy of love and moving slowly through life. We are the men we are because of you…you will be so missed. Thank-You

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