Obituary of Dale Wayne Gennette

On Wednesday, September 20, we lost Dale Wayne Gennette. Our world. Left missing him already are his parents, Pat and Paul, his wife Susan, son Mackenzie (Cheyenne) and daughter Mya. His brothers Paul Junior (Sharon) and Mike (Elaine) and brother-in-law Blair, and nieces and nephews: Vincent (Maggie), Devin (Andrea), Andrea (Chris), Britney (Sean), Ethan, Sam, and mother-in-law Janet. And Phoebe, our golden doodle. Growing up in Dartmouth as the baby of the family with two older brothers, he learned to eat fast and play sports. And he played them all; hockey, soccer, football, rugby, golf. His family spent weekends going camping or at “the camp” doing all things outdoors and always surrounded by family and friends. In his young adult years, rugby is the sport he devoted most of his time to, where he made lifelong friends and stories that were told for years to come. When he “retired” from rugby, he turned to golf. A shared passion with his son, he was a proud dad as Mackenzie began his career in the golfing world. And while basketball wasn’t “his sport”, he never missed one of Mya’s games. In the numerous losses of 21 in the driveway, it was only his ego that was bruised. Dale was old school and learned these values from his family. Like his father, he was a man of his word. He worked hard and his handshake was everything. When Dale made friends, he made them for life. He always stayed loyal and true to his character. This of course speaks to his lifelong friends but also his lengthy career in this region, built on his genuine relationships and trust. He earned both his customers' and competitors' respect, just for being exactly who he was: Dale. Someone who always showed respect, who always made time to listen, could put a smile on anyone’s face and would have both your kids and your parents loving him instantly. Dale’s whole life focused around two things: family and friends. There was nothing more important. It was these relationships he held the closest. Dale was a family man and it was nothing for him to stop in to see his parents ("his folks”) and share the daily goings on. He looked forward to the weekly gathering of his friends ("the OG’s”), where they talked about the old days while they now stuck to watching rugby rather than playing. And, most of all, the life he built with his wife and kids was his pride and joy. The daily texts with Mack (“the boy”) and his morning car singalongs with Mya (“Pumpkin Pie”) while taking her to school brought him smiles every day. The endless banter, the big laughs, the voice and presence that would quickly put me (“SB”) at ease like no one else. There are no words to explain the hole that is left in our world without him. Our family would like to thank our friends Dawn, Billy, Neil and Steph for taking care of us over the last couple of weeks, so we could love him. Thank you to Dr. Christie, Dr. McMullen and the full team at the Halifax Infirmary 5.2 ICU for their gracious and loving care of him and us. Even in his death, Dale continues to help others, changing lives as an organ donor. Finally, here is a post written for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2015 that's always been him in a nutshell. It's him in every aspect of his life; family, friends, and work: "I married one of the good guys. You are 'old school': a man of few words but the life of a party; fiercely loyal and protective of those he loves both friends and family; a respected athlete both on and off the field; a hardworking dedicated employee who has no problem rolling up his sleeves whenever needed to help his team; but above all, you are a thoughtful son not only to your folks but mine, a fantastic, attentive dad to two amazing kids who adore and respect you and the most patient and loving husband who can always put a smile on my face. You humour me in my challenging times but just your voice can make me feel better in my sad times. I couldn't ask for anything more. I love the life we have built together. xo"