David Paul Champagne

WHERE TO NEXT?

David Paul Champagne is off to his next adventure.

Born in Iles des Chenes Manitoba on Sunday, June 20th, 1926, and passed away on Monday January 16, 2023, at the age of 96 in his home River Gardens Retirement Residence Stratford Ontario.

The young farm boy, third eldest in a sib line of thirteen children, set off to work in logging and made his way, as a young soldier, to stand on the dock waiting for his ship to sail.  Suddenly WWII was over.  David traversed the country finding himself in Montreal where he met and married beautiful Caroline (Carrie) Vokey.  David settled in to work at Northern Electric (Nortel) for 38 years and he and Carol raised a wonderful family of six in Lachine and Dorion Quebec and Brampton Ontario. Pam Champagne (Ric), Gayle Bailey(Glen) Mark Champagne (Shelly) Leigh Anne Buckingham (Paul) Karen Flewelling (Brian) David Champagne (Jane).

David is predeceased by his father Raphael Champagne, mother Dorilla Trudeau and siblings Alcid, Louis, Therese, Herve, Marius, Helene, Jules, Andre, Cecile, and Jean. He is also predeceased by his first wife Carol.

David is survived by his youngest brother Paul (Laurette)and youngest sister Juliette.

In addition, David leaves his grandchildren Sarah Quirino, Matthew Wilson, Carolynne Champagne, Katherynne Martin, Robert Champagne, Jacquelynne Tietjen, Sam Champagne, Joe Champagne, Luke Champagne, Lindsay Paige Rivard, Mark Buckingham, Christopher Osborne, Corey Osborne, Genevieve Byskal, David Champagne Andre Champagne and Vincent Champagne.  There are many great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren—too numerous to mention.

After David retired from Nortel he moved to North Carolina where he met his second wife Sally and became a stepdad to Steven (deceased) Irene (Denny), Elizabeth and Sofia.  They later divorced and Sally is currently living in long term care.  They moved to Winter Haven Florida where he lived for the next thirty years or so.  He took up several hobbies.  David was an avid gardener and he loved to play golf.  David was very well known as the Golf Ball Man at the local Auberndale Flea Market.  He finally retired in his eighties.

David loved to travel and spent a good amount of time cruising the world with his family and his companion Marion.  He would think nothing of hopping in his car for a road trip with his brothers or one of his kids.

David was known as a raconteur—beguiling people with his amusing stories of past escapades.  David was a man of integrity.  Well respected and well loved.

One of the things David was most proud of was his book – his memoirs- Where to Next?

No matter how we intellectualize the aging and the dying of the people we love, when the time comes …a constancy in our life ends… and there is profound sadness. Our big, beautiful family grieves the loss of our Patriarch -our sweet David!

Thank you to all the Staff at River Gardens Retirement Residence.

Visitation will be HELD at Brock and Visser Funeral Home, 845 Devonshire Ave., Woodstock (519-539-0004) on Sunday, January 22, 2023, from 2pm to 5pm. A short visitation at 10 am on Monday, January 23 at the Woodstock Rock Bible Church, 1140 Nellis St., with the funeral service to follow at 11 am

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made in David’s name to Operation Smile Canada, Guelph Special Olympics, or Compassion International