(March 3, 1948 – May 23, 2015) Des Browning passed away on Saturday May 23, 2015 in Saskatoon SK peacefully at the age of 67, with his longtime partner Kris by his side.
He was born in Sudbury Ontario in the heart of his beloved northern shield. He loved the land, it's rivers and lakes, camping, canoeing and long chats with friends and strangers alike, either along the street outside his home or on a random street corner. In all these places Des would tell his stories and share his axioms for life. They were always as tangential as they were colorful.
He competed in High School and University basketball and football where the camaraderie and concept of ‘the team’ formed his instinctive value of caring and assisting those around him. He was a team player, a loyal friend and he made friends with everyone. His love for Kris was unwavering. He was forever proud of her art and loved each and every opportunity to be an ambassador for her paintings.
Athlete, naturalist, contrarian, conniver of pranks, political junkie, neighborhood philosopher, Riders and Habs super fan and lover of the blues. Des sampled from the table of life with respect, humility and with a twinkle that was ever present in his smiling eyes.
Many people knew Des as 'the courier', a job he held for over a decade with Custom Courier. He was also a former teacher with a history degree and had great tales of his time cooking on the freighters along the Great Lakes. But Des was always most proud of his work in ' Camp Challenge ' an outdoor education and survival program for youth in conflict with the law. It was a sad time for Des when the Saskatchewan provincial government cancelled the program and he often talked fondly of the young people he mentored ‘in the bush’. His passion for life was immense but it was challenged in the past few years by the genetic illness that took his Dad at an early age as well.
Des was predeceased by his parents, Gordon Browning of Cobalt & Sudbury and Sally (McPhail, Sault Ste Marie) Browning. He is survived by his partner Kris Engstrom, sister Beverley Browning (John Sowka) of the Sault, and brothers John Foster (Jean) of Alameda CA, and Gord (Catherine) of Windsor. He will be fondly remembered by his niece Amy of Sudbury & nephew Ben of Vineland ON, as well as many cousins. Arrangements in care of Park Funeral Chapel, Saskatoon. Donations in his memory to the Canadian Hemochromatosis Society (toomuchiron.org) or to the local Humane Society would be much appreciated.