Obituary of BERNARD ALLUM

BERNARD ALLUM "Brownie" May 13, 1924 – November 17, 2011 It is with extreme sadness that we announce that Brownie Allum passed away peacefully with family by his side, on Thursday, November 17, 2011. Brownie leaves to mourn his passing, his three sons: Brad (wife Judy, son Christopher and daughter, Kelly (Bryan); Kerry (wife Pat, daughter Ashley and son Justin); and Jeff. He will also be sadly missed by grandson Sean (wife Karolyn, daughters Abby and Ella) and granddaughter Michelle (husband Glen, daughters Jasmine and Holley). He was predeceased by his son Barry in June 2005; his beloved wife Dena in March 2002 and his brother Walter in February 1996. Brownie was born and educated in Winnipeg and was employed by Canadian Pacific Railway as a Train Clerk, retiring in 1984 after 44 years of service. During the Second World War he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy where he proudly served his country in the Corvette Service off the coast of Nova Scotia and then became a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion – Seven Oaks Branch. On September 20, 1947, Brownie married the love of his life, Dena Krall, to whom he was devoted for 55 years. Brownie and Dena (affectionately referred to as "Pa" and "Ma" by their children, grandchildren and many others) raised their family on Polson Bay where they hosted many memorable celebrations and events including the Saturday morning breakfast club. Pa loved and cherished his four boys and was a loving husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather, never missing an opportunity to offer a hug or tell us how much we were loved. When Dena entered Fred Douglas Lodge in 2000, Brownie was there every day feeding her breakfast, lunch and supper. He became a well-know fixture at the Lodge and when Dena passed away in 2002 he felt the loss deeply and never stopped talking about how much he missed her. Brownie enjoyed lending a "helping hand" whenever it was needed. He took pleasure in the simple things in life – just spending time with family and friends, having a good meal or enjoying a beautiful day. Pa was known to frequently use the terms "he or she is a good egg", "that was a million-dollar supper" or "this was a million-dollar day". One of Pa’s favourite pastimes was washing his car and taking Ma out for a drive. His car trunk was always filled with dog treats and the family dogs loved him for that. Brownie and Dena fulfilled their dream of building a cottage at Lester Beach, AKA "The Allum-O", where some of their happiest times were spent, especially with their long-time friends "The Grays". They travelled throughout the years to western Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Brownie looked forward to his many visits with Dena’s sister, Gerrie and brother-in-law, Lloyd, in Eugene, Oregon, as they were very dear to him and maintained a close relationship over the years. The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to all the wonderful staff at Fred Douglas Lodge for their exceptional care. A special thanks to Rosalinda and Darlene, who always kept us informed of Brownie’s needs, and to Lori Ann and Christine, who offered us comfort and support during Brownie’s lasts days/hours, we are truly grateful. To Joyce McLean, thank you for your friendship as well as your assistance with Brownie over the past several years. In lieu of flowers, donations in Brownie’s memory can be made to Fred Douglas Lodge, 1275 Burrows Avenue, Winnipeg MB R2X 0B8. Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held at a later date. Rest in peace dear Pa – we weren’t ready to lose you but Ma was ready to have you back. We’ll miss you.