Obituary
Wayne Pownall
He should have been a movie star…
It was embarrassing for us kids when we were younger. Looking back now, it was really endearing. A few drinks would bring out the performer. Dad had a good voice. He loved to sing. Dad’s memory and speech eventually started to fade but his ability to sing was one of the later things to leave. Music was in his DNA. His mom, Edith, could sing and so could his youngest brother, Mark. His brother Cecil recently reminded us that he and dad loved to sing along to Al Jolson when they were kids. Even in the care home, dad would liven up with any mention of upcoming music events.
Singing wasn’t the only talent. Dad also had the moves. He was a dancer. He loved to get together with friends and party. Dad loved live entertainment as well. Once in Vancouver, at a live theatre on Granville Island, they asked for a volunteer. Dad literally jumped on the stage. Dad also loved the big screen. He knew his entertainers: he kept a VHS collection of all the Academy Award best pictures and a vast collection of his favorite music. He used to love hanging out with friends and a guitar. In his later years, he would fall asleep to his favorite classic movie. He didn’t need to watch them anymore; he knew them by heart.
Life wasn’t always a party. Dad faced hard times as well. He was born in Winnipeg, the youngest in a family of four. His dad Cecil Sr. worked for the railway and was often away. His parents divorced when he was young. He attended Victoria Albert School during his elementary years, in the rougher part of Winnipeg. His mom uprooted him to Edmonton in his teenage years. There both of his sisters, Carol and Margaret tragically died in their 20s. Brother Mark died during a random violent home invasion after the family moved back to Winnipeg. His mom survived that but wasn’t the same afterwards.
After Dad moved back to Winnipeg, he soon met and married Judy. He was 20 and she was 19. To Wayne, Judy was the best thing that ever happened to him. In many ways they seemed so unalike. He was a city slicker. She was from the farm. Wayne didn’t know anything about farming or being part of a big family but he fit in well. They had us children, first Lisa and then Tannis. It did not take long for mom to share his passion for horse racing. This eventually resulted in the purchase of a home and property large enough to raise horses. (There was room for a big garden for mom as well!)
Although dad had only a grade 8 education, he made good financial decisions. He was a good provider. He knew how to make money by buying low and selling high. As a kid, he shined shoes for extra money at a fedora shop. There was a time when he wheeled and dealed at auctions. He also had an eye for treasures at 2nd hand stores. That became somewhat of a past-time after his early retirement from the city. The horses cost more than they earned but that was a passion. Dad loved to take Tannis to western equestrian events and us kids grew up around the stables behind the race track. Dad would drive us anywhere we wanted, including 1 AM pick-ups from the roller rink. Life was good.
Dad loved his food. Relatives would scramble to make extra food when he came over and you never wanted to be behind him in the Christmas dinner food line! Heading out for treats was something his four grandchildren (Kevin, Stuart, Kyle, and Anna) remember fondly. Trips to Dairy Queen and the corner store with dad were a hit. Even as memories began to fade, dad would still jump up to the sound of an ice cream truck outside.
The music and the food at the care home were good but the constraints didn’t suit Dad at all. He wanted to see some of the bigger acts. Dad was scheming right to the end. He would frequently mention his plan. Success came on the morning of December 23rd, 2022. At age 81, he finally busted out. It wasn’t quite the way he’d envisioned it but it was a quick getaway. In the hours before, he’d managed to pack in some pastry, pudding and ice cream for the road, all his faves. He’s now reunited with Judy. She was the love of his life.
Lots of love from your family dad.
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December 23 2022
Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de Wayne Pownall December 23 2022 et espérons que leur souvenir pourra être une source de réconfort pendant cette période difficile. Vos pensées et vos mots aimables sont grandement appréciés.
Décès pour la Ville:Selkirk, Province: Manitoba