David Leslie Sparrowhawk
December 27, 1931 - July 13, 2015
As published in the July 27, 2015 World-Spectator
David was the first of four children born to Harold and Minnie Sparrowhawk on December 27, 1931 in the Dovedale area in Saskatchewan.
David passed away July 13, 2015 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Esterhazy after suffering from a stroke on May 2, 2015. He passed away surrounded by his family, knowing how much he was truly loved.
David lived in the Yarbo-Dovedale area until 1955, when he moved to Regina and started work at Smeeds/Allied Van Lines driving a furniture moving truck. He travelled extensively throughout Canada, which provided an income for his family and also fulfilled his pleasure of travel. He formed some lifelong friendships with the guys he worked with.
On September 15, 1956 David married Marilyn Lowe from Tantallon. Throughout their married life they lived in Regina, Balgonie, Langenburg, and Esterhazy. In 1963 David was employed at the IMC potash mine at Esterhazy. In 1964 David and Marilyn built their family home in Esterhazy. Together they raised their seven children.
David attended post-secondary school in Moose Jaw and obtained his journeyman electrician papers, thus setting his career for the rest of his working life.
The church was important in David’s life, from a young boy growing up, in his adult years, and also in his later years. He found comfort in his faith and would turn to it in both the difficult times and the good times. David and Marilyn enjoyed the Lay Ministry Formation at St. Michael’s in Lumsden. They were commissioned in 2013. Here they made lifelong friends.
Family was very important and David was fortunate to have a large family, including Marilyn’s family-aunts, uncles, and cousins. They shared the love of music and treasured the time they spent together. Music played a huge role in David’s life. He came from a musical family; his dad played accordion, pump organ, and clarinet.
His early family life was filled with family get-togethers and there was always music. David played in many bands and church choirs. In fact, David wrote several songs. For 18 years David and Marilyn have attended the Craven music festival and other music festivals in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In the last few years David and Marilyn have enjoyed attending the Spy Hill monthly jam sessions and have made many new friends.
David was always looking out for the underdog. He was proud to have been part of organizing a union in his work place.
David and Marilyn also worked with Development and Peace for many years.
David enjoyed car trips with the family-long or short. He enjoyed the driving and seeing the sights, whether it was stopping for a beer in a small town in Saskatchewan and talking to one of the locals or visiting another province.
When their children were young the family took many summer vacations, camping and visiting relatives and family friends along the way, mostly to Alberta and British Columbia. In more recent years David and Marilyn, with their daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Frank, drove to the east coast.
Another year they drove to Vancouver Island. David and Marilyn also travelled to Hamilton a few years ago to visit David’s sister Dorothy and her husband Roger and their family. On this trip their daughters Mercy and Edith were their companions. They travelled there by train and drove back.
David was a kind and compassionate man. He was a caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He always had a kind word to say, and was forever teasing with his sly sense of humour. He will be missed.
David was predeceased by his parents Harold and Minnie Sparrowhawk; sister Dorothy Shivak; brother-in-law John Gillespie; parents-in-law Mike and Margaret Lowe; sisters-in-law Gena Sutherland, Velma Ewen, and Carol Lowe; son-in-law Alan Contstantinoff; and daughter-in-law Donna Sparrowhawk.
Left to cherish David’s memory are his wife Marilyn Sparrowhawk; daughters Sharon Salter (Frank)and children Sarah (Brad), Cooper, Brenna, and Hannah; Mercy Ohirko (Bryan) and children Will and Matt (Ashley), Kyren, and Tess; Edith Lemieux (Ed) and children Jillian and Jamie; Peggy Contstantinoff (Rick Albert) and children Michael, Nevaeh, Kristie and Travis; and Jennifer Sparrowhawk; sons Dean Sparrowhawk (Rennie Morash) and children Teagan, Tannis, and Reese; Bryon Sparrowhawk and children Tara (Dave), Derek, Courtney, Alexia, Dominick, Clint (Justine), Lauren (Adam), and Cooper; and brother Ken (Betty); sister Lorna; and brothers-in-law Gilbert and Earl. Also left to cherish David’s memory are many cousins, nephews, and nieces in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
David’s family is very close and his cousins were a big part of his life. One of the greatest times in dad’s life was when the relatives from Australia and the United States visited-Sharon White and Ethel White from Australia, Dick and Rosemary from Iowa, and Chum and Billie from Australia. David loved talking to these relatives and hearing about their lives and their families.
It was quite an event making that long distance call to those cousins in Australia, all the family gathered around.
The family wishes to thank the hospital staff at the General Hospital in Regina and St. Anthony’s Hospital in Esterhazy for the compassion and care they showed David and our family through this difficult time. The family also wishes to thank all those who visited David in the hospital (some visited daily) and prayed for David, those who were unable to attend the funeral mass and those who were in attendance.
The funeral mass was held on Friday, July 17 at Our Lady of Victories Roman Catholic Church in Esterhazy with interment at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic cemetery in Esterhazy.
Donations may be made to the Esterhazy and District Association for Community Living (group home) or to Development and Peace.
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