Obituary of Russell Dean Lawrence

To view the Celebratin of Russell's Life, please CLICK HERE

Russell Dean Lawrence

March 10, 1938-June 03, 2023

Russell was the elder son of Hilda Frances (Callaghan) Jones and Edward Albert Lawrence (Olympian, Antwerp 1920 and WWI Veteran) predeceased by his parents and brother Stuart. Left to honor his memory are his wife of 60 years Joan (Coupland), daughters Susan (Lorne), Wendy (Rhett) and son Russell “Rusty” (Christina) and grand children Laura, Gillian, Anne, Andrew, Ethan, Mya, Maddie.            

 He was born and raised in Montreal attending both McGill and Sir George William University (Concordia). Joan and Russell married in 1963 and moved to Brandon, MB in 1966 residing there until his death. His move to Brandon was prompted by his appointment as Plant Manager of Ayerst Organics / Pfizer Pharmaceuticals where he worked for 32 years prior to his retirement in 1999.

Their travels took them to many places including skiing in the Rockies (Aspen, Whistler, Banff, Fernie, Silver Star) gondolas in Venice, champagne in Paris, Tuscany in Italy, Stonehenge in England, Lake Havasu in Arizona and polar bears in Churchill, MB   

He loved fast cars, fast motorcycles including his own “White Flash”, speed boats, summers at Pelican Lake, and annual trips back to his “Home Town” of Montreal. He earned his pilot’s license as a young man in Montreal and was hoping one day to become a commercial pilot.

He had a passion for down hill skiing and mechanical workings of car engines.  He could fix anything!

He considered ketchup, mayonnaise, and M&Ms as food groups.

He was a man of great integrity giving 100% to everything he did.

He will be sorely missed by his family and all who knew him.

Donations in Russell’s memory can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, 1379 Kenaston Blvd., Winnipeg, MB, R3P 2T5.