Obituary Overview
Alex Dadey
Alex was born in Grand View, Manitoba, in 1935 to Nick and Francis Dadey, and grew up with nine siblings. As a teenager he began working for Safeway and was transferred to Winnipeg in 1952 at age 17.
Alex’s career at Safeway lasted 49 years. As a produce clerk and manager, he was known for his innovative techniques for displaying produce, working on his displays until they were flawless—or as he put it, “tickety-boo.” Alex was renowned for his customer service. He persuaded customers to try new kinds of fruits or vegetables and pioneered the practice of selling produce that reflects the cultural makeup of a store’s neighbourhood. Over the years Alex’s enthusiasm and creativity won him the respect of his supervisors and the affection of his fellow employees.
He was a man of many abilities. Alex put himself through high school by playing pool for money and was a deadly dart player whose talent for hitting triples and doubles won him and his teams many a championship. Even though he had the shortest backswing on the planet, at his peak he still shot a golf game in the mid-70s. In his younger years he played guitar in a country band, and he was an avid hunter, although he said he sometimes had trouble pulling the trigger when an elk was in his sights. He was a cribbage master, entering and winning a number of tournaments, but the card games he enjoyed the most were those he played with friends and family.
Alex had a number of other interests. While a young man in Winnipeg he took night courses in psychology and was a practicing hypnotist who cured people of unwanted habits. He built a greenhouse at the back of his house in Transcona that he accessed in winter through a basement window, raising a variety of exotic plants. He developed a peerless skill in cooking over charcoal barbeques or open fires, simultaneously roasting an intimidating number of burgers, steaks, and chicken breasts while managing the embers, tossing a stir-fry, and chatting casually with wide-eyed onlookers.
But Alex’s main interest was people, and his open, accepting, generous nature allowed him to make shy people comfortable, to disarm people who were grouchy or sour-tempered, and to comfort those who were in pain. Alex saw the best in people, even those who couldn’t see the best in themselves, and that made others love him in turn. He was community-minded, dressing up as a clown and visiting children in hospitals, serving as an elder in his church, winning awards from the Red Cross for donating so much blood over so many years, and organizing dart leagues.
Alex was twice lucky in love. He married his first wife, Anne, in 1957. They had two sons, Bruce and Lance, and enjoyed a rich, affectionate, and long-lasting relationship. Through Anne Alex was introduced to the Krahn clan, with whom he forged many life-long friendships. After Anne’s death Alex met his second wife, Jeannette, whom he married in 1998. The Labossiere family welcomed Alex with open arms and a barrage of teasing, and Alex and Jeannette provided comfort, love, and support for each other throughout their twenty-year marriage.
The family is grateful that in his final illness Alex was provided with love and care from wonderful staff at both the Maples Personal Care Home and the Riverview Health Centre. It’s said that the depth of grief is proportional to what has been lost, and our loss is great. But Alex’s family and friends have also been fortunate to share the life of a man who lived fully, loved much, and left the world a better place.
Alex is survived by wife Jeannette, son Bruce, daughters-in law Kym-Su and Rebekah, granddaughter Zosha, step-children Robert, Gerald, Jeannine, Michelle, and Roger and their partners, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and his siblings Harry, Stanley, Marion, and Donna. He is predeceased by his first wife, Anne, his son Lance, and siblings Kate, Annie, Jessie, Lawrence, and Rose.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Alex Dadey 2018..
Décès pour la Ville: Winnipeg, Province: Manitoba
