GERALD WESLEY DALES

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GERALD WESLEY DALES March 30, 1924 - February 20, 2015 On February 20, 2015, Gerald ("Gerry") Wesley Dales passed away at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg after a short illness. He will be remembered forever by his beloved wife Kathleen, their children Carol (Ken), Donovan (Maggie) and Jeffrey (Lori); grandchildren Gerald Jr. (Christine), Tom (Krystal), Christopher (Claire) and Scott (Mel); and great-grandchildren Benjamin, Isla and Evan. Gerald was predeceased by his parents Walter and Mabel, brother John, and sisters Mary and Shirley. Dad grew up in Sperling, Manitoba, where his father's illness and his brother John's war service left Gerald in charge of the family farm while he was still a young teenager. Here he became an independent, determined and unbelievably resourceful man who could figure out how to build or troubleshoot practically anything. Whether it was digging his own basement, building multiple additions to a house, or repairing a vehicle or machine, Dad's ingenuity always saved the day. That same determination led him to machine work, where he learned his craft on the job and became a crackerjack machinist at Bristol Aerospace. He was especially proud of his involvement with machining parts for some of the original Black Brant rockets. Dad was a confirmed romantic. When he met Kathleen ("Kathy") on a blind date, he knew right away she would be the love of his life. Throughout their 68 plus years of marriage, he supported her wholeheartedly in her many endeavours, and never missed an opportunity to show her his love with poetic cards, flowers and gifts. He was a dedicated family man, always there for good times with Mum and the three of us. We all have fond memories of family outings that began at our house on Roblin Boulevard and ended at drive-in movies, picnics and stock car races. Dad encouraged us as we tobogganed, skating and snowmobiled on the Assiniboine River, and we spent cool vacations at the family cottage our father had built at Victoria Beach. Once he had retired from Bristol Aerospace in 1988, Dad turned his boundless energy to taking on new challenges and visiting new places. He and Kathy officially became Winter Texans, escaping cold Winnipeg winters for their home and friends at the Pine to Palm resort in Weslaco, TX. Already strong and fit from years of hockey, curling and hard work, he finally had time to take up marathon running, eventually completing half a dozen marathons and numerous half marathons and 10Ks. Intent on honing his scuba diving skills, Dad took Kathy on many Caribbean dive trips. Gerald was always both creative and musical. He took up photography and produced amazing underwater videos of his scuba adventures. He was Kathy's active supporter in her antique doll projects, learning to restore a precious porcelain doll as if he had been doing it all his life. He often picked up pieces of driftwood and took them home to carve into fantastical ducks. An especially memorable project was his restoration of a battered antique merry-go-round horse with a missing head - Dad simply carved him a new one! Although he had always sung silly songs to his kids and added his clear tenor to Headingley United Church choirs, he surprised everyone when he took up Scottish Highland bagpipes in his 60s. Progressing steadily from the chanter to the pipes, he ultimately achieved his goal, playing at many a ceremonial event in Texas. Dad was consistently generous with his time and energy. As a Mason and a Shriner, he often volunteered as a driver, transporting children from Mexico to Shriners Children's Hospitals in Galveston and Houston. Working with Mexican Children's Relief in the Rio Grande Valley, he put his building skills to work again, helping founder Mabel Clare build housing for homeless children. Dad was a convivial man who always loved to mingle with family and friends old and new, to share stories, jokes and a good meal. Always a lover of tasty food, he would travel miles to hit up the best seafood buffets. He enjoyed the potluck dinners at Tuxedo Towers, and even in his last days, topped off every dinner at home with a big bowl of ice cream and a handful of cookies. And we will all remember him with a smile on his face as he reminded guests pulling out of the driveway to "Take it easy now!" We are heartbroken at the loss of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. A celebration of his life will be held at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home in early summer. Contributions in Gerald's memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. THOMSON "IN THE PARK" 204-925-1120 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 28, 2015