Mr. David Brown

1925-2015

It’s with heavy hearts we announce the passing of David Brown on Friday, June 12, 2015 in Winnipeg. David was the beloved and devoted husband of his surviving wife Margaret (nee Renton); the cherished father of Allyson (David Nicholas) and Valerie (Greg Moore) and the proud grandpa of Cody and Thomas Moore.

David also leaves behind his family to carry on his memory. Sister-in-law Mary Renton; niece Moragh Paul (Eldon) and their children Graham (Laura), Matthew and Adrian; nephew Ross Renton of Regina, Saskatchewan; nephew Douglas Ian Cuddy (Margaret) and their children Angela Charette (Brian) and Michael (Melinda) of Mississauga, Ontario; niece Shelagh Girouard (Ray) and their children Sara Hancheruk (Jason) and Erin of Winnipeg, Manitoba; cousins Sandra Smith Ott (Kerry) and Patricia Smith Dodich of British Columbia, Joanne Smith of England/Brazil and Eleanor Van Every of California; Goddaughter Jennifer Veitch (John Donkin) of Ottawa, Ontario; dearest friends Neil and Pat MacConnell of Sidney, BC; Ken and Iris Callis, Garth Panting, Sharon Tod of Winnipeg; Ian MacDonald of Farnham, England; Ruby Wallace Menzies of St. Andrews, Scotland; the Rutherford family of Star Lake, Manitoba; the Good family of B.C. and Ontario; and many family and friends across the world. Thank you to those who cared for David in his last days.

David was predeceased by his parents David Brown (Tealing, Forfarshire, Scotland) and Janet Wannan Keay (Kemback, Fifeshire); grandparents David Brown (Murroes, Forfarshire) and Maggie Barnet MacGregor (Auchterarder, Perthshire), David Keay (Mains, Forfarshire) and Annie Pearson (Kemback, Fifeshire); Uncles Alec Smith Brown (Maggie Smith) and George Simpson Brown (Betty Jamieson) of Tealing and Lochee; cousins Sandy and Ted Brown (Tealing); Aunt Margaret Ramsay McIntosh (nee Keay) and Uncle David Ramsay Keay of Fifeshire; brothers-in-law Douglas Renton and John D. Cuddy and sister-in-law Bette Cuddy (nee Renton); grandniece Kerri Cuddy; close family relatives Stan and Bernice Smith; close friends James Christie, Lloyd Gauer, Ron and Pricilla Veitch.

David was born in Balmblae, Falkland, Fifeshire, Scotland and grew up an only child in Cupar, Fifeshire with his parents, Keay grandparents and Aunt Margaret. David spent many summers at the Brown family farm at Todhills in Tealing with fond memories of Clydesdale horses and farming inventions of his father and grandfather. His dad gave him the nickname Cynicus. He comes from a long family history of Free Masons and Merchant Mariners. He loved receiving comics in the mail from his Uncle Geo Brown and visits from his Aunt Annie Matthews (nee MacGregor) after both immigrated to the United States in the late 1800s.

David was educated in Scotland and earned his degree in architecture from University of Dundee as well as a bachelor degree in architecture at University of St. Andrews. His university training was interrupted by four years of service in the Royal Air Force, two years as a Commissioned Officer (Captain) that took him to various training bases including Johannesburg, South Africa. David first worked in 1951 as a design architect at Sir Basil Spence & Partners in Edinburgh then a senior design architect with Walker & Pride in St. Andrews from 1952-1954. There he met his future wife Margaret. After Margaret immigrated to Canada with her family in May 1954, David followed her to Canada two months later. David and Margaret were married on March 18, 1955 at the Crescent Fort Rouge Untied Church in Winnipeg, honeymooning in Kenora. He was proud to become a Canadian citizen in 1967. He worked at Moody, Moore & Partners from 1954-1968 that involved in the design of many buildings throughout Manitoba including the Winnipeg Centennial Concert Hall, the Manitoba Museum, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. From 1968-1973 he was the Planning Coordinator and Secretary of the Manitoba Health Sciences Coordinating Council including universities grants, The University of Manitoba, The Winnipeg General Hospital, The Children’s Hospital, The Sanatorium Board of Manitoba, The Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation and The Psychiatric Institute. From 1973-1977 he was the Director of Planning at the Health Sciences Centre at included designs for the Rehabilitation Centre. In 1977 David established the David Brown and Associates consulting firm and university lecturer. From 1977-1979 David was an independent planning consultant for government agencies, governing boards, architects and engineers. In 1979 David and Margaret moved to Grande Prairie, Alberta where David was the Project Architect for the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital. David and Margaret moved to Calgary in 1982 to join Neil MacConnell/Graham McCourt Joint Venture Architects and on to Edmonton in 1985-1988 as Associate Director Facilities Management at the Edmonton General Hospital/Grey Nuns Hospital. In 1988 David and Margaret moved to Nassau, Bahamas where David coordinated the completion of the Bahamas Health Project Functional Programme as an associate with RMC until 1991. The next move was to Malaysia in 1991 to carry out a review of health care planning for the Government of Malaysia. Back in Canada David and Margaret settled in Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island, BC where he worked for MacConnell Management until 1996. It was finally time to hang his hat and move back to Winnipeg to retire.

During his time in Scotland, David played football, cricket, field hockey and rugby for the Howe of Fife RFC and the RAF. After his flight and parachute training with the RAF, David served as a physical education instructor. In Canada, David was always involved in sport and sportsmanship was of upmost importance. He enjoyed golf, tennis, badminton, curling, cross-country skiing, sailing, and boating. David was a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Olympics and Manchester United. Any sport was always worth playing or watching (especially in person).

David loved to organize social events that started with MMP Christmas and office parties. When David and Margaret bought their dream home in Wildwood Park he marveled at the close knit community with the “best neighbours in the world”. All night section parties, Grey Cup parties, New Year’s Eve events, winter ski trips to Wendigo, and camping at Falcon Lake to name a few. David was very involved at the Wildewood Club with athletics, organizing social gatherings and writing skits. He was a past president and offered his architectural design pro bono to rebuild the club after a devastating fire.

David was extremely adventurous and loved travelling both short and long distances to new places, to experience life to its fullest. He always made a great impression on the people he met along the way. He managed a trip back to Scotland for work and pleasure in 1975. He embraced his time and the bonds he made in Grande Prairie, Calgary, Edmonton, The Bahamas, Malaysia, and Cowichan Bay. He had a big boisterous laugh, many facial expressions to light up a room, a theatrical presence, always a joke at the ready, and reciting poetry of all types, especially Robert Burns and Dylan Thomas. David also had a serious side, especially when it came to work. He had a commitment to high quality design, people-centred projects and inspired his colleagues to raise their own expectations. David loved to act on stage (and off), it was his second calling. It began in Scotland, but flourished with the Grande Prairie Theatre group. He continued his acting after retirement with the Shoestring Players in Winnipeg. David had a sharp mind and quick wit. He enjoyed history and genealogy. David loved to play knowledge games, watch Jeopardy, solve cryptic crosswords, play chess, and cards. He was a fabulous artist, painter and set designer. He was a photographer, musician, poet, story-teller, and outdoorsman. David could really cut a rug and dance at a ceilidh. Chef extraordinaire, from concocting mince and tatties to a mean curry.

Nothing was more important than family. Every single Christmas was spent with Margaret, Allyson and Valerie no matter where in the world they lived at the time. Gathering of the clan was in Winnipeg, Regina, Alberta, BC or The Bahamas. For his girls, he was an in-the-moment kind of dad. Building skating rinks in the backyard, teaching his girls to swim and ride bikes. Drive-in movies in the station wagon and road trips to Moose Jaw, and Vancouver, Expo ’67 in Montreal. The greatest gift he gave his girls was – regret nothing, put others before you, travel the world and treat those you meet like family with respect and compassion. No place felt like the home away from home other than Star Lake. After renting the Rae’s island cottage for many years, David bought the Brown cottage in 1971. It continues to be a place where everyone is welcomed with open arms, food and drink. The seventies summers were shared with the Moose Jaw clan, the Regina Clan and close friends. Porch parties playing the harmonica, sing-a-longs, Moose Jaw craps, “Tubby” the tractor inner tube, the Sports Pal canoe, “The Maggie” the Peterborough boat, skiing, Brandy the Siamese cat, Rufus the bearded collie, Monty Python, Faulty Towers, Coronation Street, fishing, “Dirty Bird” golf tournaments, croquet, horseshoes, bears at the driveway garbage, thunderstorms, stargazing, bonfires in “Stonehenge, socks with sandals, road trips to Kenora, motor home camping at Rushing River, shaving cream fights, Poker Derby, Beaver Days, snowmobiling, never-ending projects, and lots and lots of laughter.

David loved his “The Brown Boys”, Greg and Dave. He enjoyed Scotch, Grey Cup games, and electrical work with Greg. He enjoyed beer, boating, and dock building with Dave. David doted on his grandchildren, Cody and Thomas. He spent time teaching Cody about construction, music, nature, and patience. He gave Tom his knowledge about fly fishing, the outdoors, drawing and military history.

Oh, the places he went and left his mark. Oh, the people he met and left his inspiration. Oh, the family he has and left his heart. A proud Canadian and Scotsman. To you David we raise the cup o’ kindness. “Slangevar”!

Stand not upon the order of thy going, But go.