Charles Richard Huband

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Charles Richard Huband at the Victoria Hospital on June 14, 2023.

Charles Huband was born 91 years ago, in 1932.

When his parents moved to Winnipeg in 1948, they brought him along in the hope that he would complete his high-school, and then find some useful employment. Instead, he became a university student for 6 more years, emerging with a degree in law.

By that time Charles had married Marilyn, and his parents moved on to Toronto.

Charles was shrewd in the choice of law partners (Scott Wright, Bill Norrie, and Reah Taylor to start with), so he was able to devote time to his three children (David, Nancy, and Barbara). Summers were spent on Mackies Island in Lake of the Woods. The children were otherwise enrolled as weekend students in the theatre school operated by the Manitoba Theatre Centre.

But then, ‘MTC’ closed the school.

In a panicked moment, wondering what to do with 3 children on Saturday mornings, Charles fixed upon the idea of creating a new theatre school. A committee of parents was formed, and Charles incorporated the Manitoba Theatre Workshop. He was the first Board chairperson. All that was needed was a space in which to operate, with room for classrooms and performance space.

Having been a leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party for many years in the seventies, he approached D.I. MacDonald, the Chief Administrative Officer of the city, to inquire about possible surplus space. It transpired that 198 Princess Street was available at no charge, so it became the home of the Manitoba Theatre Workshop (now known as the Prairie Theatre Exchange). It was here that he joined forces with Colin Jackson.

Charles became a lifetime member of PTE. People who are so honoured are supposed to stop attending Board meetings, but he missed the cue and kept attending. He established the PTE foundation and continued to have a hand in managing investments.

His wife Marilyn was a moving force in another cultural gem – the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Charles was a member of the initial Board of Directors and continued to have an abiding interest in the MCO. Classical music was a love and passion.

Charles was a founding member of the Westminster Housing Society 28 years ago. It became his mission to rehabilitate and construct housing stock in the West Broadway neighborhood, facilitating safe affordable housing to families in the neighborhood where he once lived, and continued to frequent. He and Marilyn were very much a part of the Westminister United Church community.

For 27 years Charles served as a Judge on the Manitoba Court of Appeal, and in 1996 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Manitoba Bar Association. So, he must have done some things reasonably well as a lawyer and jurist. Although normally poorly organized, he retained all of the written decisions of the Court in which he appeared as council; both before and after his 27 years as an appeal court member, plus the hundreds of written reasons authored by him over that time. These decisions took up significant wall space in his residence. Some of them are interesting – particularly his dissenting reasons, which were published in his book ‘Dissent’, in 2021.

After automatic retirement at age 75 as a jurist, Charles made contact with Patrick Riley, one of the major litigation lawyers in the firm of Taylor McCaffrey LLP. This, the old firm in which Charles had previously been a senior partner. He rejoined private practice, having to assist in the background for three years. After this period of purgatory, he returned to work in general litigation for another nine years. In 2018 Charles left the firm, although it was simply too early to retire. So, he continued as a sole practitioner until his 90th birthday on February 23, 2022.

A 90th birthday party was held on Saturday February 27, 2022, at the St. Charles Country Club, with a significant guest list. Charles frequented this club, an avid golfer and lover of fine wine. Many dinner parties were held here or in his home, with current affairs always the topic of conversation (or debate).

Over the past year, there were many trials and tribulations that occur with age. He left his beloved home at 232 Yale Avenue and moved to Brightwater assisted living. He continued his volunteer work and is scheduled to receive a posthumous Order of Manitoba July 20, 2023. A service will take place that weekend, further details pending.

The above obituary was written by himself and shows his dedication to the arts, service to community, and a legal career that was truly his pride and joy.

He leaves to mourn his extended family, friends, and three children, David (Christina), Nancy (Ron), and Barbara; his grandchildren, Emma (Curtis), Steven, and Eddie; and his great granddaughter, Quinn.

A Memorial Service will take place on Friday, July 21st at 1:00 pm at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church, 525 Wardlaw Avenue, a reception will follow with coffee and tea.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated by Prairie Theatre Exchange or Westminster Housing Society