Al Dunn quietly slipped away to join his beloved dogs, Rudi and Arthur, at the Rainbow bridge on Wednesday June 16, 2021. Albert Edward Dunn was born to Kathleen and Albert Dunn in Islington Ontario on March 14 1936. He would be their only child. When Al’s dad died when he was seven, Kathleen was left to imprint on him all the good things a human being should be. And a wonderful job she did even though he gave her many moments of concern over the years.
Al attended a Technical School and became a telephone electrician. He worked for Bell Canada in Toronto and later Thunder Bay until the West beckoned and he relocated to Calgary to work for Alberta Government Telephones. It was there he became an active member of their union, The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 348. This involvement would lead him to his next career as an Assistant Business Manager for the union. This was a job he thoroughly loved whether it was traveling around the province to attend the unit meetings or promoting a member’s grievance to the proper level of management to reach an appropriate settlement. He was highly respected by all who dealt with him from the lowest level of union member to the highest level of management. So respected was he by management that when it appeared the union would not be throwing a retirement party for him, AGT said they would do it. Of course the union came through but that night there were more AGT management in attendance than there were union people. And all sang his praises about his gift of being able to debate a matter and reach an amicable resolution.
Al retired in 1990 in support of his wife, Lucille. She was offered a promotion with her employer, The Co-operators, to the province of BC. When she asked Al what she should do he said “go for it, of course” and so began a 10 year residency in Vancouver and a short lived retirement for Al as a short 6 weeks later, the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades contacted him and asked if he would be the Dispatcher for their asbestos workers. Again he found something he enjoyed and could sink his teeth into. And it wasn’t long before he was also doing the training for Asbestos removal.
As Lucille had only planned on being in her position with The Co-operators for 10 years, in 1998 they began discussing where to retire to. BC was certainly too expensive and having lived in Alberta during the oil patch down turn they decided to look for some place with stability thus they hit upon Manor and bought a lot. Al’s attention then turned to developing that lot, first constructing a double garage and later the house with the help of his friend, Orest, and brother in law, Ed, and a few others who happened along the way.
Now Al was always a “big city” guy having lived in Toronto, Thunder Bay, Calgary and Vancouver so the idea of him finding himself in small town Saskatchewan seemed a bit of a stretch. But Manor really called to him. From the very beginning he embraced the village and everything it stands for. He spent a term on Council because he felt he had ideas that fit into the village’s culture and could move the town forward. And when Gordon Petterson approached him to become the secretary treasurer of Manor Fun Daze he didn’t hesitate to answer the call.
Al always had an annual vacation. Right from the beginning of his working career when he bought a tent and camped in Algonquin Park for 2 weeks and when the rain cam he left his gear behind and headed to Ottawa until the rain ended. He came back to find all his gear in tact just as he had left it. Over the years he and Lucille have traveled all down the West Coast, camped throughout most of BC and Alberta, toured the New England States, the Maritimes including Newfoundland, enjoyed trips to Bermuda, Barbados, Montego Bay, Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Florida, New Orleans, Arizona, Texas, The Cook Islands, England, Wales and Scotland.
Al’s taste in music was wide and varied with the eras, but his very favourite was Dixieland Jazz and he liked nothing better than when he and Lucille would hit the Jazz Festival in Sun Valley Idaho or take a trip to New Orleans to the home of Dixie music. His wish was always to have a Dixieland Band play him home.
Al leaves behind his wife of 41 ½ years, Lucille, brother in law, Ed Mills and his wife Joan, his sisters in law, Elaine Percy and Muriel Garvey. His favourite cousin, Hazel, will miss the twice weekly phone visits. He also leaves behind Cousins Gail, Sue, Judy and Bill and 2 sons, Colin and Craig, from a previous marriage.
Throughout all his years Al’s passion was trains particularly steam trains. Growing up, if his mom couldn’t find him at home, ten chances to one he was down at the railway station. This interest lead to his model railroading passion. And while he never had a layout completed and running, his attention to detail in the work he did was without comparison. He always said if the layout is finished then you just have to take it apart and start again. Maybe now he’ll complete a layout and actually run the equipment.
“What I will always remember is the way he laughed, the stories he told and the guidance he gave.
What I will always know is the friendship he shared, the sacrifices he made and the example he was.
What I will always feel is his love”
Graveside Service: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 26, 2021 from the Manor Cemetery with Reverend Michelle Moore officiating.
Arrangements in care of the Orsted Funeral Home (Carlyle)
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