Darryl Brent Schott

Our beloved Darryl Brent Schott died of suicide on Wednesday September 4, 2019.

Darryl was born on June 27, 1962 in Kenora, Ontario. Son of Ron and Eileen Schott, Darryl grew up in the north end of Kenora and became widely known as the instigator of various pranks and shenanigans many of which involved his siblings. He inherited a green thumb and a passion for gardening from both his mom and dad. Some of his favourite days were spent tending to his garden, the sprawling flowers and vegetables creating a mix of beauty and purpose.

Following in the footsteps of his Manitoba clan, he always dreamt of living on a farm. Darryl spent his earlier summers on his grandparents farm in Rosebank, Manitoba. He rescued all kinds of animals over the years; the occasional rabbit, cat and duckling joined the family, and eventually there was a flock of very happy chickens living in the “Poultry Palace” built by Darryl. In these later years he was always accompanied by his canine companion Coco, who devotedly followed him wherever he went.

Music was a significant influence. Over the years he was regularly in attendance at the Winnipeg and Trout Folk Festivals, and could always be seen dancing with one of his girls on his shoulders, participating in activities under the children’s tent and spending hours doing crafts with the girls. If you saw the mountains of CDs stacked in the corners of his house and on top of the stereo, you knew his appreciation for music was wide and varied. Approaching his front door you were always greeted by strains of his musical selection of the day, be it reggae, country, rock or folk.

Darryl attended Fanshawe College for photography, where he would develop a life-long passion and an outlet of creative expression. He was often seen with a camera in hand, capturing moments otherwise missed at the front line of forest fires, at pow wows, music festivals, or in nature - where he felt most at peace. He loved to work with wood, and his many carvings and structures were displayed throughout his home and garden and gifted to his family and friends.

He loved to travel to places off the beaten path. His adventures took him backpacking through Europe, Northern Africa and Central America; he road tripped through British Columbia and extensively through the USA. He loved meeting people and was happiest sitting in the town square meeting the locals and hearing of their lives. He loved to keep moving. Be it soccer, baseball, downhill skiing, snowshoeing or hiking he was happiest when active and outside. Darryl’s love of the outdoors led him to a long career in forest fire fighting. He was also a long-standing volunteer firefighter for the Longbow Lake Fire Brigade, acting as Chief for a number of years.

Darryl also played a mean game of crib. When he wasn’t outside you could often find him at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee and cribbage on the go.

Darryl loved his family but more than anyone else he loved his daughters. The most important job for him was being the dad of Siobhan and Rowan, over whom the sun rose and set. From day one he was an incredible father, as he had two souls to share in his adventures. Hiking through the bush with a baby strapped to his back, patiently teaching them how to skate, or agreeing to have his nails painted, there was nothing he wouldn’t eagerly participate in. In these girls you see the influence of his passions, the love of animals and nature, the devotion to family, the fight for justice, passion for traveling and the deep veins of kindness.

It is impossible to capture an individual in an obituary— Darryl’s passion, his laugh, his strong embrace. It is especially difficult to capture someone whose later life was increasingly defined by mental health and addiction struggles. Over the years his disease brought him to places of incredible darkness. These places of darkness caused Darryl great pain, ultimately accompanied by shame. These feelings would often consume him, and made it difficult for him to live his life to the fullest. Darryl’s devotion to his daughters allowed him to fight relentlessly against his illness. It was a battle he faced anew every day. He struggled. This took an immense amount of bravery and stamina which, in the end became too difficult for him to navigate.

Even though Darryl himself struggled, he always found it in his heart to advocate for the marginalized. And although this was something we may not have understood, he always tried to help others in whatever way he could. This approach to the world, and to the people in it, is something from which we could all benefit greatly. If you yourself struggle from addiction or a mental illness, know that every breath is a fresh start. Know that hundreds of thousands of families who have lost someone to this disease are praying and rooting for you. Know that we believe with all our hearts that you can and will make it. It is never too late.

For all those reading this, educate yourself about mental illness and addiction. It is not a choice or a weakness or a defining characteristic. It is an illness. Chances are very good that someone you know is struggling, and that person needs and deserves your empathy and support.

We take comfort in knowing that Darryl is now free from the struggles that haunted him. We would have given anything for him to experience that freedom in this lifetime. Our grief over losing him is infinite; and now so is he. There are many of us who carry Darryl in our hearts: his daughters Siobhan and Rowan; his parents Eileen and Ron Schott; his sister (and best man) Debbie and brother-in-law Al Bishop; his big brother (and hunting partner) Ray and sister-in-law Michelle; his younger brother Doug and sister-in-law Jennifer; his friend Chris Fleming; his brother-in-law (and dear friend) Warren Humphrey and wife Tina; and the loving mom of his daughters, Kim. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Greta and Lawerence Schott, Albert and Dorothy Foster. He was much loved by his many nieces and nephews as well as his Humphrey and Boulton families.

A Celebration of Darryl’s Life will be held between 2:00 to 5:00pm, September 11, 2019 at the Minis Hall in Kenora. In lieu of donations to an institution we are asking that you use your money to connect or reconnect with someone in your life or community who is lonely, marginalized or struggling. Ensuring we all feel a sense of belonging and worthiness it not only integral to our community, it will save lives.

Online condolences may be made at www.brownfuneralhomekenora.com

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