Obituaries

DAVID WALTER CHAMPION 

With profound sadness we announce the passing of David Walter Champion (Dave, Dad, Pop-Pop, Champ, Uncle Crumby) our loving and devoted father and friend to all whose lives he touched, on October 26, 2020. David was a wonderful man that was loved, is missed and will always be cherished. Our “Pop-Pop” as he liked to be called by his grandchildren, “Dave”, as he was called by his wife Anne, was an amazing husband, dad, brother and a believer in living life to the fullest.

David left us while holding his wife Anne’s hand sleeping peacefully in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was in his 84th year. He is the beloved father of Wendy and Bruce, proud grandfather (Pop-Pop) of Jeff, and Madelaine (Joseph) and a brother to his sister Mary.

He was predeceased by his parents Walter and Eleanor, sister Susan and son Bruce.

In 1958, David married his soulmate Anne, and they started a family, and as a family they loved the outdoors especially Manitoba winters where weekends were always an “adventure” cross country skiing or skating around the province. Dad loved being outside and kept his family busy by always having an activity planned. He certainly did not disappoint when it came to wholeheartedly loving his family and making sure they were loved and taken care of.

David’s family and friends knew him as a kind and mild-mannered man, a lover of racehorses, an avid movie goer, and a hopeless romantic to the love of his life his wife, Anne the woman he married 62 years ago. He always had the right outfit for any occasion and the right thing to say (even if it was wildly inappropriate.)  “Champ” was known for his entertaining facts and stories which he loved to share.

Champ started in the grain industry when he was 17 and when he retired at the age of 76, he was one of the last of the old-style International grain traders who knew his customers, but more importantly they knew and trusted him. His reputation as an honest and knowledgeable trader was known around the industry.

Dad lived 1000 years in the 84 calendar years we had with him because he attacked life; he grabbed it by the lapels, kissed it, and swung it back onto the dance floor. He lived every day to the fullest and if you said he couldn’t do it; he would make sure he could.

He was a rare combination of someone who had a love of life and a firm understanding of what was important — the simplicity of living a life with those you love.

His acute awareness of the importance of a life lived with the ones you love over any material possession was only handicapped by his territorial attachment to the remote control of his weather station channel.

Dad enjoyed wearing costumes, a good game of shuffleboard, and mashed potatoes with lots of butter. He loved going to watch his race horses at the Assiniboine Downs, eating at Earl’s every week and when the grandchildren were in town heading over to D-Jay’s to eat free popcorn, watch the games and share a jug of beer.

He excelled at growing roses, planning yearly English trips, handicapping the races, eradicating weeds from his driveway, whistling, bursting into random song, living within his means, outsmarting squirrels, cheering on his Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bombers, and reading any book he could get his hands on.

Dad was a very clever man and could be introspective at times when there were serious decisions to be made. He never made rash decisions but thought long and hard before giving us advice – sound advice that has helped to shape my life profoundly. He was always saying that “life is too short, and you must go out into the world and experience its beauty and explore”.

The family would like to thank the Golden West Centennial Home for the loving, caring and compassionate care they provided to David.

A private family memorial will be held, and we ask that in lieu of flowers and in spite of individual differences, kindness is something everyone has to give. Dave would ask that you take a moment to do something nice for someone else solely for the sake of making them smile and place a $2 bet on the grey.

Dad: Your love, your patience, your understanding, your wisdom and your amazing sense of humour will live on inside us forever. You have given us gifts that are more precious than anything in this world. Goodbye, Dad. You will always live on in my heart.