WILLIAM DENNIS HILLMAN -

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WILLIAM DENNIS HILLMAN 1946 - 2009 Dennis Hillman of Mississauga, Ontario passed away on June 11, 2009 following a brief illness. He was 63 years of age. Dennis was predeceased by his parents William and Violet (Booker) Hillman. Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Denise Gagnon, sons Christopher (Nicole) of Winnipeg and Bradley of Vancouver from his first marriage to Suzanne Hillman, grandsons Colton and Gavin, sisters Carol (Doug) Reynolds of Stonewall, Donna (Jack) Sanford of Pilot Mound, and Fay (Ken) McCannell of Pilot Mound, mother-in-law Ernestine Gagnon, as well as Denise's sisters, brother and brothers-in-law, many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Born in Snowflake, MB on January 21, 1946, Dennis spent his youth there. During the earlier years of a storied life, he lived and worked in many communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Later, he undertook a series of positions involving the active recognition and promotion of Inuit art and culture, becoming a regarded authority on First Peoples' art and artists. He first travelled the north with Arctic Co-ops as an area manager. He found he missed his family too much when away from home and so then opened Arctic Images Gallery in Winnipeg, MB. Afterwards, he became manager of Canadian Arctic Producers, also in Winnipeg, distributing Inuit art nationally and internationally. A position as Director of Inuit Art Marketing Services with the Northwest Company brought him and Denise to Mississauga, where they have made their home since 1992. Those who knew and loved Dennis appreciated him as a complex man of diverse passions. First among these was family of all stripes, but especially his sons who carry his strength of character, sense of humour and abiding warmth. He was a connoisseur of life, keenly interested in both the cultural and the everyday: coaching boys in hockey and baseball, curling, his beloved Expos, good food and lively conversation, current affairs, song and dance, crosswords, and the simple pleasure of a good book. He was infamous for his skills as a raconteur, where his energetic embellishments often strained credulity and the truth. The original envelope-pusher, he breathed the entrepreneurial spirit. He was our great joy and the life of our party. He will be greatly missed and remembered with love and affection. A private service and celebration of Dennis' life will be held at the Hillman family gravesite, Pilot Mound Greenwood Cemetery and in Mississauga at a later date. Friends, if they desire, may donate in his memory to the St. Amant Foundation, Winnipeg; http://www.stamant.mb.ca/foundation/goDonations.html or mail; St. Amant Foundation 440 River Road, Winnipeg , MB R2M 3Z9 It was Dennis' wish that his body be donated to medical research. His family would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their support and care during this difficult time: the staff of Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga; the Division of Anatomy, University of Toronto; and MacKinnon and Bowes Limited.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 26, 2009