DAVID THOMAS JOWETT

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DAVID THOMAS JOWETT

August 15, 1935 - May 31, 2026

Peacefully passed, with family beside him, at Oakview Place Personal Care Home.

Beloved husband to Dorothy (nee Erskine) for 62 years; father to Jeff (Genn), Greg, Doug, and Julie (Urbano Teixeira); grandfather to Megan (Boaz Fadun), Jordan, Duncan, Owen Jowett, and Isabella and Thomas Teixeira; great-grandfather to Emma and Genesis Fadun; uncle to Anne Bradford, Valerie Merkley, Gary Charnock, Brenda Vail and many great-nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents, Harold and Evelyn Jowett, and siblings, George, Myrna, Grace, Nancy and Richard.

Raised in woodsy East Kildonan, David began Grade one at Lord Wolseley School in the long shadow of the Second World War, keeping a child’s wary eye on the sky for enemy planes. His family knew hard times, the hardest being a winter spent in an old Army tent. As the eldest of five siblings, and with his parents struggling with health issues, David had to toughen at a tender age, hewing wood, hauling water, hunting for small game - many a rabbit found the family stew pot thanks to his youthful marksmanship. He attended school as often as he could, and also supplemented the meagre family income by delivering newspapers and groceries on his bicycle, setting bowling pins, shoveling snow, and other humble work. As his parents health declined, Dave had to work longer and harder, including in Winnipeg’s garment industry and at Eaton’s. He was forced to quit school, though he later attended night school at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate, to proudly achieve his Grade ten. Later in life, a scholarly streak would emerge, as he read voraciously and widely, acquiring a military historian’s knowledge of all Canada’s conflicts, particularly the Second World War. In his mid teens, he joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers Militia in the early 1950s, and excelled, achieving the rank of Sergeant, and the duty of Drill Sergeant for other young troops. He asked his father’s permission to join the CAF Special Force that fought alongside South Korea and allies in the Korean War (1950-53), but obeyed when his father replied that his family needed him too much. A lifelong regret, but he knew his duty to his family came first.

During Dad’s last Remembrance Day last November 11th, he watched the troops march past on the CBC broadcast from Ottawa, and reminisced: “as Drill Sergeant I had to be very hard on those kids”. Oh really Dad?!

The Grenadiers supplied a lead – there was better money at Labatt’s Brewery, and so began a 35 year career, mostly as a sales representative, where he again excelled. Dave would say that he sat at tables with Premiers, and Manitoba’s downtrodden, and everyone in between. Back then he was known across Manitoba as “the Blue Man” (ie. Labatt’s Blue) and he seemed to us kids to know everyone, especially when he took us to his beloved Blue Bombers games, Folklorama, and many other events, making sales calls.

Dave was a company man, and a man of strong opinions, never shy to share, may it please his audience or not. In the rough and tumble of 1950s-1980s beer sales, he told much younger, better educated bosses (“kids”) from Toronto when they were wrong about his beloved Manitoba market, and to Hell with egos and consequences. Dad was a man who said the words he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels.

For all his hard won toughness, Dad had a big, tender heart, a mischievous and irrepressible sense of humour and a love of laughter. The Winnipeg Press Club’s annual wildly politically incorrect Beer and Skits, at which our community’s elite were skewered, was a favorite sales call. As an Everyman, Dad loved it. Dad was well liked and loved by many (not all), and beloved by his family (almost always).

Curling was both part vocation and avocation, and he taught his kids to play “the roaring game” which he loved, and formed with his three sons a formidable (if stormy) team in the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club’s Men’s League for a few years. Dad represented Labatt’s at Provincial and National Championships, and loved it. He curled as long as his health allowed, latterly stick curling at Deer Lodge CC, Fort Osborne Barracks CC, and Assiniboine again.

Dad built the family cottage at Victoria Beach, a treasured family haven since 1975, hosting family and friends, and captaining his beloved boat for them was his delight, and ours, with happy memories of sun splashed days at Elk Island – though pretty scary a few times way out on big, windy Lake Winnipeg. On cottage deck, and lakes and rivers, Dad shared his love of nature with us. Was he happiest boating, or BBQing big steaks over charcoal? Hard to say. Victoria Beach golf course was a long time haunt, and even when he could no longer golf, he would push his walker (when he remembered it) to the Clubhouse, for coffee, chocolate bars (Type 2 Diabetes be damned) and conversation, to wish any and all good day and good cheer.

Also in retirement, Dad and Mum ran a coat check business at downtown locations, and Dad dealt deftly with the inevitable drunks who threatened to jump the queue, and the counter, to retrieve “their” leather jacket…. after his time in the booze biz, he knew how to handle them. Dad found fellowship with old pals at the St. James Legion, including his brother in law, Arthur Erskine.

Contracting West Nile virus in 2008, Dad spent two weeks in a coma, and we were told there would be consequences. Whatever the cause, Dad walked the sadly well travelled road of his dementia journey, and slowly but inexorably declined. Mum, the former nurse, heroically took over as “family Drill Sergeant”, keeping Dad in line, and safe and happy at home in Westwood for many years, until it was time for Dad to go to Oakview PCH, almost a year ago. Dad’s affable character remained intact, and he was a favourite of the staff at Oakview, who shared stories of his mischievous humour and sunny disposition.

Dad taught us the values of family, integrity, honesty, generosity, determination, courage, and good manners and humour. His happy life personified a long ago Labatt’s slogan: Smile, pass it on!

Dad was Honourary Life Member of both the Manitoba Wildlife Federation and Manitoba Curling Association, Past President of the Manitoba Senior Golf Association, Companion of the Royal Arch Masons, Prince of Wales Chapter, and member of St James Legion #4, and of the Intrepid Society Inc.

We are grateful for the kindness and sincerity of the staff of Oakview PCH, who despite being under resourced by their employer, took good care of Dad.

Cremation has taken place, and there will be no funeral. A private family celebration of life is planned for his Summer.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 13, 2026