Obituary of Martin Maer Kanigsberg

Martin Kanigsberg passed away peacefully on July 30, 2023.

Martin was born April 7, 1944 in Montreal, Quebec. He and his brother Nordau were fortunate to have been adopted by the late Marie and Robert Kanigsberg into a loving and nurturing family in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From his earliest years his mother recognized his many talents including a sense of aesthetics and style.

Not being academically oriented his parents encouraged his obvious talent in interior design. His mother and friends would frequently ask Martin for his opinion on fabrics, colour, and layout in his preteens. He graduated from the New York School of Design in 1965. In 1969 he became an active member of the Interior Designers of Ontario. He first worked for the Toronto firm of Robert Dirstein. He and his business partner and good friend the late Ross Magill opened their own interior decorating firm which flourished for many years.

In the early 80’s he decided he hated the cold and moved to the Coral Gable neighbourhood of Miami. He mainly worked as an independent interior decorator. Interestingly most of his initial business was from his Toronto clients who had winter homes in Miami. Not only did they appreciate his expertise but also many became his friends. While in Miami he had a fun challenging week entertaining his teenage niece Lisa and her friend Julia.

In the early 90’s he moved to Tampa and started working for Patti and Dan Newman at PJ Newman. Soon he was adopted by the Newman family Patti, Dan, and Christi. Patti Newman has been his best friend and supporter, arranging and accompanying him on many vacations including several to Canada. In addition she has been instrumental in organizing his cancer care and personal care over the past few years. He spent many enjoyable and sometimes sad times with the Newmans. He loved the family vacations to Texas visiting Patti's family. He loved and enjoyed the company of Patti's brother and sister in law Bob and Elizabeth McCrory, her sister and brother in law Janice and Pat Prichard, and her step son and his wife Mike Newman and Becy Pollard. He especially loved Christi (Morrissey) and seeing her grow into a fine accomplished woman. He had become very fond of Christi’s husband Gavin Morrissey. Lately he has fallen in love with Christi and Gavin’s daughter Dru.

He fondly remembered his close and loyal friends from Tampa including John and Linda Day, Ed Gunning and Patrick Kenny, Susie and Dan Martinez, and Mark Anderson and Keith Bucklew. .

When he moved to St Petersburg about 6 years ago, he was so lucky to have bought into The Salvador. This condo community has been so loving and caring especially during his last illness. His good friends Patti Newman, Debbie Price and Lynne Carroll have taken him to his many hospital visits often staying with him for hours. Other condo members have supported him with friendship, good wishes, and delicious meals.

He enjoyed visits while in hospice by Susie Martinez, Sara Cocker, Jamie Rogers, Becy Pollard, Shirley Hill, and his many friends and of course Patti, Debbie, and Lynne.

He also loved his dogs; Robbery, Taylor, and Emmerson.

Martin was a loyal, kind, and good friend, brother, brother in law, and uncle. He has been very courageous through his illness always making those around him very comfortable. As he said “I have had a good life and I have no regrets”.

He leaves behind Nordau (Roz), niece Lisa (Kris), nephew Amit (Tracy), grand nieces Rhea and Eliana, grand nephews Nathan and Abraham, Patti Newman, Christi Morrissey, Gavin Morrissey, and Dru.

If you wish donations can be made to any of the following:

1. St Jude Children’s Research Hospital

2. SPCA Tampa Bay

3. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute