David John Berard

1955-2023

Dave Berard died suddenly of natural causes at his home. He is survived by his long-time partner Kairistine MacLeod and brothers Danny (Nurit) and Marc, and sisters Joanne, Landaira (Terry) and Mary-Anne as well as nieces and nephews Alisha (Ron), Noah, Brayden, Julian, Trevor, Addi (Rivka), Nathalie, Tamir and Doron. Also left to mourn are his aunts Stella, Jenny, Lorraine and Patricia. He also collected a large and extremely varied group of friends of all ages, from all corners of the globe and all facets of his life.

Dave was born in Winnipeg on March 1, 1955, to Alfred and Helen Berard and his childhood was spent at their home in Grande Pointe, MB.

He was an avid traveller and saw much of Canada, as well as Mexico, Israel, Europe, the UK and Southeast Asia. He particularly loved Iceland, Newfoundland and India, returning to those places several times. Dave and Kairistine would pick a spot in the US and head out on spur-of the-moment road trips. These travels helped him to appreciate all that Planet Earth had to offer, whether it be the beauty of nature or the wonders of culture, food, art, music and literature that abound.

He was called “Dark Dave” by some due to his sombre bearing, decades spent on the night shift and, yes, his taste in art and music, but he liked to play games and loved goofing around. He had an endearing laugh and a smile that almost wasn’t even there. His wit was keen and his sense of humour was well-developed, if sometimes outrageous.

Dave was a talented guitarist and had a beautiful, smooth singing voice. He collaborated with many friends on various amateur musical projects and was a founding member of the art/noise/pop ensemble Taste of Stool, who were once described (by Dave) as “the hottest band that ever rocked”. Most of the heat they produced could be attributed to Dave, who was perhaps the only member who could demonstrate any prowess on an instrument. His abiding passion was not just music, but sound. In his retirement he travelled to see some of his favourite artists and hosted “Strange Wax”, a CKUW (late night, of course) radio show. He leaves behind an incredibly diverse and obscure music collection which few mothers could ever bear to listen to for more than thirty seconds.

Although seemingly an urban being, Dave loved the peace and quiet of nature. He and Kairistine lived for many years on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, and in the Whiteshell. They would often go for hikes, Dave in his John Fluevog shoes, perhaps pausing to rest in a shady glade which proved to be teeming with wood ticks.

Dave spent 35 years as a counsellor, mostly on nights, at the Manitoba Youth Centre and in his retirement worked at Marymound. At both of those institutions he earned the respect and affection of many co-workers with his decency, good judgement and sense of humour. The youth in his care benefitted as well and sometimes thanked him years later for what he had done for them.

Dave attended one semester of university, but with his open mind earned a Master’s at the University of Life. Cuisine was not one of his fortes; he was not likely to elevate anyone’s potluck with anything but his delightful presence. He was a great lover of film, art and literature, but abhorred pretension. He enjoyed a good cartoon or comic as much as any high-falutin’ art blab. He was well-read, informed on many subjects and could handle a tough crossword.

Dave was a kind, sensitive guy with an inner strength. He loved both two- and four-legged animals of all ages and gave generously to people struggling with addictions. If you are able, please give in Dave’s name to an animal or homeless shelter, or addiction resource centre.

A graveside service will take place Friday, December 29, 2023 at 11:00 a.m., in Notre Dame de la Miséricordia Roman Catholic Cemetery, in Île-des-Chênes, MB.  A time of fellowship will follow the interment at the TC Energy Centre, 1 Rivard St., Suite 204D, Île-des-Chênes, MB.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

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