DENNIS GARY THOMSON

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DENNIS GARY THOMSON After a very long, courageous battle with cancer, Dennis Thomson went peacefully to the great golf course in the sky on October 22, 2002. He was predeceased by his mother Helen in 1998. He is survived by his daughter Noreen (Greg) Fehr, son Trent (Jen) and his three grandsons, Joshua, Noah, and Sawyer; as well as his father Clayton; brother Brian (Valarie) niece Sandi and nephew Greg; sister Brenda (Mike) Nilsson, and niece Melissa. As well as his girlfriend Darlene, he will be fondly missed by numerous friends and a large extended family. He is also survived by his ex-wives, Darlene Hockin and Shianne Uschold. Born on October 8, 1952 in Plumas, MB, he began working with mentally challenged clients in 1973 at Touchwood Park in Neepawa, before accepting a position as workshop manager in Arborg at Riverdale Place Workshop. He moved to Steinbach in 1977, where he began as workshop manager at Kindale Occupational Centre and then became the executive director for the Association for Community Living (ACL). He subsequently moved on to work for the Province of Manitoba as a community services worker with Community Living and Children Special Services. His 25 years in the Steinbach area, and the friends, co-workers, and fellow sport enthusiasts that he had meant the world to him. An avid sportsman, Dennis was involved in baseball since early childhood, and played with the Giroux As as well as coached his son with the La Broquerie As minor baseball team and the Carillon Sultans Junior baseball team. In addition to baseball, golf was a great passion of his. Dennis recently completed 93 rounds in a single season and even this year, while battling cancer, he was able to compete in 50 rounds. Curling was also a great love of his, and Dennis won his first bonspiel while receiving chemotherapy last winter, then turned it into a "three-peat". Winning the Plumas mens bonspiel with his brother, Brian, was a crowning achievement. The family would like to thank Dr. Dan Ilchyna, Anne Plett of the Palliative Care Program, Debbie Harms of the Home Care Program, Carol, Maggie, Wilma and all of the other home care "girls" for the exceptionally kind and compassionate care that Dennis received, in the comfort of his home, during his last few weeks. A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 25 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Pauls Lutheran Church at 465 Henry St. (at Kroeker), Steinbach with Pastor Larry Hirst officiating. A private interment will be held in Plumas at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Steinbach branch of the Association for Community Living (ACL), Box 730 Steinbach R0A 2A0. "To live on in the hearts of those we leave behind ..is to never die."

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 24, 2002