DENNIS DEMPSEY

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DENNIS DEMPSEY With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend - Dennis Andrew Dempsey - on April 17, 2016, in Winnipeg, at 78 years of age. Dennis passed away peacefully at home, with his wife Marion at his side. To the community, Dennis was a faithful servant, ardently involved in politics, business and charity. To all who loved him, he was a loyal supporter both in the good times and when there was trouble. Dennis was born April 16, 1938 to Pearl and Andrew Dempsey, in Winnipeg, the older brother to Barbara. He is survived by his wife Marion Blagden; daughters, Gaylene and Denise and son Andrew; his grandson Evan and sister Barbara Reed, nephew David and niece Andrea. He is also survived by Marion's children, Richard (Ann), Craig (Linnea), Jeffrey (Donna), Kathleen (Shawn), Garth; and grandchildren, Christopher, Nicholas, Madison, Cailyn and Nicole. Self-titled the son of a chauffeur-man, he was raised in the south end of Winnipeg and attended St. Paul's College. Dennis began his work life as a bicycle delivery driver for Hardy & Buchanan grocers and then was hired as one of Salisbury House's first short order cooks. In the 1950s, he began at Marrin Bros., starting a long illustrious career in Canada's janitorial/sanitation industry. In 1987, he ventured into his own business and founded Cleanworks Corporation, which he proudly owned until shortly before his death. He was active in different capacities on many boards including Canadian Sanitary Standards, Jaycees, St. James Chamber of Commerce, Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba, Airport Area Business Improvement Zone and Winnipeg Harvest's Golf Tournament. A political junkie, he was also deeply involved with the Liberal party serving as president of the Manitoba Liberal Party and with St. James Liberal Association, C.A.S.H. Liberal Association and Molgat Place. Throughout his career, Dennis received many accolades including JCI Senatorship in 1974 and most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce. In his private time, Dennis loved to golf and travel, especially to hot destinations like Mexico, but he loved nothing more than the view from his deck, especially watching Marion in the garden. He was renowned for his ever-present cup of coffee, an affinity for ice cream, perogies and other great foods of the world, a rather strange sense of humour and his weekend short order cook abilities, among so many other things. A member of Alcoholics Anonymous, he recently achieved 40 years of continuous and contented sobriety, commemorated with a lovely party for his family and friends. It works. It really does. So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. (Matthew 6:34) Special thanks to the staff at the Health Sciences Centre dialysis unit and palliative care nurses for their care and compassion in his final days. A memorial service was held on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Neil Bardal Funeral Centre at 3030 Notre Dame Avenue (across from Brookside Cemetery). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to CancerCare Manitoba, Jocelyn House or Winnipeg Harvest. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Apr 23, 2016

DENNIS DEMPSEY With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend - Dennis Andrew Dempsey - on April 17, 2016, in Winnipeg, at 78 years of age. Dennis passed away peacefully at home, with his wife Marion at his side. To the community, Dennis was a faithful servant, ardently involved in politics, business and charity. To all who loved him, he was a loyal supporter both in the good times and when there was trouble. Dennis was born April 16, 1938 to Pearl and Andrew Dempsey, in Winnipeg, the older brother to Barbara. He is survived by his wife Marion Blagden, daughters, Gaylene and Denise and son Andrew; his grandson Evan and sister Barbara Reed, nephew David and niece Andrea. He is also survived by Marion's children, Richard (Ann), Craig (Linnea), Jeffrey (Donna), Kathleen (Shawn), Garth and grandchildren, Christopher, Nicholas, Madison, Cailyn and Nicole. Self-titled the son of a chauffeur-man, he was raised in the south end of Winnipeg and attended St. Paul's College. Dennis began his work life as a bicycle delivery driver for Hardy & Buchanan grocers and then was hired as one of Salisbury House's first short order cooks. In the 1950s, he began at Marrin Bros., starting a long illustrious career in Canada's janitorial/sanitation industry. In 1987, he ventured into his own business and founded Cleanworks Corporation, which he proudly owned until shortly before his death. He was active in different capacities on many boards, including Canadian Sanitary Standards, Jaycees, St. James Chamber of Commerce, Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba, Airport Area Business Improvement Zone and Winnipeg Harvest's Golf Tournament. A political junkie, he was also deeply involved with the Liberal party, serving as president of the Manitoba Liberal Party and with St. James Liberal Association, C.A.S.H. Liberal Association and Molgat Place. Throughout his career, Dennis received many accolades, including JCI Senatorship in 1974 and most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce. In his private time, Dennis loved to golf and travel, especially to hot destinations like Mexico, but he loved nothing more than the view from his deck, especially watching Marion in the garden. He was renowned for his ever-present cup of coffee, an affinity for ice cream, perogies and other great foods of the world, a rather strange sense of humour and his weekend short order cook abilities, among so many other things. A member of Alcoholics Anonymous, he recently achieved 40 years of continuous and contented sobriety, commemorated with a lovely party for his family and friends. It works. It really does. So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. (Matthew 6:34) Special thanks to the staff at the Health Sciences Centre dialysis unit and palliative care nurses for their care and compassion in his final days. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Neil Bardal Funeral Centre at 3030 Notre Dame Avenue (across from Brookside Cemetery). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to CancerCare Manitoba or Winnipeg Harvest. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Apr 19, 2016

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 23, 2016