DENIS BROWN

June 11, 1949 - September 7, 2023

In the days and weeks leading up to his passing, Denis Brown was surrounded by love. Family and friends gathered daily in the gardens at Riverview to relive stories of fellowship, laughter, and connections while his grandchildren played on. We could see his watchful eye over them, and he delighted in their playfulness and joy. This was a special time that anchored in everyone just how special Denis was and what he had meant to others and to all of us, his family.

 

He will be missed deeply by his wife April; his children (with his first wife, Wendy) Kristen (Rob); Jon (Grace) and Caitlin (Laurie); his beloved grandchildren Asher, Makenna, Leif, Siggi and Magnus; his brothers Michael (Shamim) and Alan (Candy) along with his nieces and nephews.

 

Denis was a lover of babies, of the sea and the skies, of travel and new experiences, of books and sports and of all animals. He loved his career and family of air traffic controllers while also being devoted volunteer for Special Olympics in Winnipeg. His crisis counseling work at Klinic was the embodiment of kindness and compassion to those who needed it the most. 

 

Denis was most at home in nature and his touchstone was Willard Lake. He had a genuine love for all living creatures and as such, our family have been instructed in the art freeing spiders, wasps and anything living, with great care. 

 

Denis was the master loon whistler, and we will forever know his presence when we hear their song.

 

His wish was for this note to be brief, and our words fail to capture who Denis is for all of us - for each of us. Yet there was a man who had only a brief interaction with him years ago and easily offered:

“…he is marinated in joy…”

 

Our sincere gratitude to Riverview Health Centre for their gifted staff who cared for Denis with compassion and kindness. Our heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Kotb & Cancer Care Manitoba and UCSF team for their tireless dedication.

 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice. 

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Denis' family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.