Sydney David Johnson

David died on September 7 after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. He is greatly missed by his wife Ruth (Chaffee), brother Percy (Eliane), sister-in-law Beryl, children Peter (Elizabeth), Ed (Leslie), and Jennifer (Peter), granddaughters Alanna, Natalie, and Hope, and many nieces and nephews in Canada, England, and the United States.

We have lost a sweet man who adored his wife, gave wings to his children, and loved to laugh.

Born in Leicester, England in 1930, he was the last of four boys to Dorothy and Edgar Thomas Johnson. David spent a happy boyhood attending school and playing cricket with his friends until German bombs falling on his street sent him to the countryside to harvest potatoes to feed the troops.

After his post-war national service in the British Army, David began working in retail, first in the shops of Leicester and London, and then with Eaton’s Department store in Toronto. One night at the Toronto YMCA he met a vivacious bridge partner named Ruth whom he soon made his life’s partner and whom he would love unconditionally for the rest of their time together. After their wedding in 1958 at the Church of the Holy Trinity they began raising their children in North Toronto.

On the strength of a CGA degree earned at night, David joined the financial management team at Volvo’s Canadian headquarters in 1970, from which he retired 20 years later as Volvo’s Administrative Manager.

Outside of work, David was a tireless reader, an avid bridge player, enjoyed taking long walks with Ruth, introducing his children to golf, driving the family on vacations to the Maritimes, singing hymns with his beautiful English baritone, and serving his parish at Christ Church Deer Park as sidesman, People’s and Rector’s Warden.

At age 49 David suffered a massive heart attack. He survived, but heart problems dogged him for the rest of his life. With a daily discipline of diet and exercise he overcame all but the last of these, giving his family many more years of his company than they ever expected.

Upon retirement from Volvo, David, always accompanied by his beloved Ruth, embarked on European summer travel and winter travel to Florida, attended operas and symphony, welcomed three beautiful grand daughters, and faithfully attended Saint Matthew the Apostle Oriole. To his community David gave wherever he could. David joined the local senior chapter of the Kiwanis Club, helping its mission of service in many volunteer roles and ultimately becoming its chapter President. He read the Bible and passed communion in Sunday services. Every week found him helping at the local food bank.

Finally in 2012, David began the last chapter of his life by moving with Ruth to South Winnipeg. Flourishing at his new condo at The Legend, David put down fresh and fast-growing roots in Manitoba’s welcoming soil: he played pool and bridge, became a parishioner at both St. Paul’s Anglican and St. Mary Magdalene, completed Winnipeg Free Press crosswords over morning coffee in St. Vital Mall, attended the Winnipeg Opera, watched festivals and fireworks at the Forks, strolled with Ruth along the Seine River, enjoyed Ed and Leslie’s delicious Sunday night hospitality, weekends in their canary-colored cottage on Lake Manitoba, and even a few final trips to visit family in Halifax, New York, and England.

Though seldom given to eloquence, the warmth of David’s hug, the constant play of a smile around the corner of his eyes, and his ready and contagious laugh proclaimed loud and clear all that David’s family ever needed to know: we were deeply loved by this gentle, generous, and indomitable man.

A funeral service was held Thursday September 14, at 2pm at St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in Winnipeg. Cremation has taken place with interment to occur at a later date. Charitable contributions in David’s name can be made to FINCA Canada, www.FINCACanada.org.