JOHN (JACK) W. DAGENAIS

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JOHN (JACK) W. DAGENAIS Surrounded by the love of his family, Jack passed away suddenly after a brief illness on Monday, August 20, 2018 at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home. Jack is survived by his wife Elizabeth of 65 years, his daughters, Marianne (Peter) of Winnipeg, and Jeanette (Don) of Abbotsford, BC, granddaughters, Renée (Pete) of Coquitlam and Danielle of Port Moody, great-granddaughters, Nina, Hayley and Rachel, the beloved family dog Pippin, and a niece and nephews in Ontario, Pennsylvania, England and Norway. He was most recently predeceased by his sister Jean in Ontario in May of this year. Jack was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario on December 21, 1932. The pattern of movement in Jack's life began early, with time spent in many towns in Ontario and Nova Scotia, but mostly in Hamilton. Jack signed up with the RCAF at 17, keen to serve his country in the Korean War. While that was not to be, his career brought him everything he had hoped for in life...the stability of family life, and travel. From Camp Borden he was posted to Edmonton, where in 1953 he met Elizabeth, an immigrant from England, and they married just before his transfer to Europe. The first tour saw the birth of their daughter Marianne in Grostenquin, France and on return to Canada of their second daughter Jeanette in Ottawa. Jack was a member of the first group to train in California as part of the new CF104 programme. There was a short time in Cold Lake before the family returned to Europe and were part of the shuttering of the two bases in France at 2 (Fighter) Wing, Grostenquin and 1 (Fighter) Wing, Marville and of the opening of the new base in Lahr, Germany. A move to 17 Wing in Winnipeg was the final chapter of Jack's RCAF career; his time in the service remained indelibly part of him for life. Until retirement, he worked at CAE, Boeing and most notably, Bristol Aerospace. In February, 1965, Jack was proud to be selected to be in the honour guard for the ceremony at Vimy Ridge for the raising of the new Canadian flag. Jack and Elizabeth delighted in travel, with many return trips to visit family in England and BC, and to old favourite haunts in Europe. A highlight for him was the discovery of a small town in southern France called Penne d'Agenais. Other highlights were a month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand for their 40th wedding anniversary, a trip to Ireland, the birthplace of his paternal grandmother, and latterly, highly enjoyed cruises to Alaska, the eastern Mediterranean and the Baltic. On that final cruise, Jack was able to set foot in Finland, the homeland of his mother. Jack was a gentle man. He loved the fiddle music of the French Canadian family gatherings in Northern Ontario of his early childhood. He had a quiet wisdom and sense of humour with a love for quite dreadful puns, and could be seen quietly shaking with laughter after a particularly delightful one. And, it must be said, he was also a quietly stubborn man. We know that those who knew him throughout his life as the kind and pleasant man he was, will remember him fondly in their hearts. Anyone wishing to remember him in a formal way could make a donation to the Winnipeg Humane Society, a cause near and dear to all of us. Jack spent the last two years of his life at St. Norbert Personal Care Home, two minutes from the homes of Elizabeth and Marianne who were able to see him every day. He was happy there and delighted in the live music and activities. We cannot say enough about the wonderful loving care he received...you all cared for him in a way that we could no longer and we are so very grateful to each and every one of you. He will be missed more than we know. Cremation has taken place; there will be a family celebration of a life well lived at a future date when we can all be together. Bardal Funeral Home 204-774-7474 Condolences: www.bardal.ca

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 25, 2018