RAY DENNISON

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RAY DENNISON

D. "Ray" Dennison, born March 31, 1926 in Newdale, Manitoba, passed peacefully February 19, 2021, in White Rock, BC at the age of 94.
He was predeceased by his wife and life partner Lorna in 2018. He will be lovingly missed by his son Doug (Janelle) and daughters, Jackie (Ted), Shelley and Barb, his nine grandchildren and five great-grands, and nieces and nephews.
Ray could always be counted on for wise advice, compassion and support for family, staff and clients, and with his level of personal integrity made lifelong friends.
In 1930, his family moved to Regina, then to Winnipeg, where Ray spent his school years. His business acumen showed itself early. His father bought him a bike with a delivery basket and said "turn it into a car" He did. He narrowly missed being shipped out at the end of the Second World War. In his early 20s his dad sat Ray down on the front steps and let him know that his parents were moving to Dauphin to open the first Chevrolet dealership in town, and asked Ray what his future plans were. This prompted Dad to move to Banff to drive a tour bus. Later he moved to Dauphin to help his dad and learn the family car business. There he met, then married the love of his life, Lorna.
In 1967, with his young family in tow, he headed west and designed and built a Chev/Olds dealership in Richmond, BC. He was impressed with an auto mall he saw in California. He returned to BC, studied the concept and hand-picked a group of dealers to partner with. With his usual grit and determination he developed the Richmond Auto Mall, the first of it's kind in Canada. Opening in 1986, it won awards for innovation, benefiting dealers and customers alike. Not done yet, he developed the Glenwood Commerce Centre in Delta.
Ray and Lorna were committed philanthropists, supporting various causes. They designed and built Lorray Manor, a much needed non-profit Seniors Home in Dauphin, Manitoba, the hometown that had been so good to them.
They loved to travel both worldwide and in motorhomes - Ray's other passion. He designed and built them, first for family trips, and later for snowbird golf and happy hour in Palm Springs.
Ray's family and friends will miss his keen wit, wisdom and compassion, his quiet, unfailing support and love.
We hope Ray and Lorna are in the motorhome with their four-legged friend Denver, heading south to the sun.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 06, 2021