Dennis Read

Losing his father during the war to a buzz-bomb while his father was on house repair duty in bombed out London was the worst thing that happened during a happy childhood growing up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England in a Counsel House.

Leaving school at 15 on his birthday he worked first at Sanderson and Robinsons as a pattern maker and then, to avoid the army, went into Clipston Coal Mine in Forestown, to which he commuted by bicycle, fueled by apricot jam sandwiches. To escape army conscription, he followed a friend to Canada in 1956. He took up hunting and discovered the joys of fishing in his new country. After his mother and sister followed him to Canada he became assistant chef on a Shell Oil tanker called Rincon Hills, taking oil from depots in S.A. and Mex. to N.A. ports.

In 1959 he went back to England on the Karen Reed, a Norwegian merchant ship. Within a month of working in Bolton, he went to a dance and met Joan Pickup, who became his first wife. Six months later they were in Canada and in 1967 adopted David. After several jobs in various capacities he became a draughtsman for S&C Electric, designing electrical equipment for municipalities.

Over the years, Dennis found he liked his holidays away, but Joan preferred her home and in 1988, while on holidays with a friend in the D.R., he met Petronella Karsemeijer, who became his second wife in 1990.

When they both lost their jobs in 1992, Plan B went into effect and they “retired” to Cambridge, where they managed a small apartment house while Petronella had other rental property to manage. This left them free to travel, first tentatively for month long stays in Florida, the D. R., and Mexico, but then more ambitiously in longer and longer cruises. Every continent except Africa saw their ships in various ports.

Always a card player he got seriously into Texas Hold’em and loved to play in the casinos on the ships or back home with like minded buddies.

In 2001 Dennis had open heart surgery for a valve replacement and a year later he had a defibrillator/pacemaker implanted, but after that it was cruising, big time. Dennis maintained he had a wonderful life.

Dennis leaves behind his loving wife, Petronella, his son, David (Luisa), his brother and sister-in-law, Jon and Jacqueline Karsemeyer: his nieces in the U.S. Shelly Leih (Mark) and Terrie Timewell (Doug), his cousins in England; and many friends across Canada and around the world. In keeping with his wishes, cremation has taken place, and no formal services will be held.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Ducks Unlimited Canada.