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DAVID CLAYTON WILLIAM LEE
Born: Aug 12, 1946
Date of Passing: Nov 23, 2017
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryDAVID CLAYTON WILLIAM LEE David Clayton William Lee, 71, passed away peacefully at Health Sciences Centre on Thursday, November 23, 2017, with his beloved wife Shirley at his side. Dave is survived by his wife Shirley, of Winnipeg; his brother Christopher Lee and sisters Barbara Okell and Margaret Porter, all of Qualicum Beach, BC; as well as his son Michael and grandchildren, Merak and Kira, of Winnipeg. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister Joan Chase, and his son Chris. A lifelong Winnipegger, Dave was born on August 12, 1946 to Clayton and Joan Lee, and was one of five siblings. He met Shirley Puckering just before New Year's Day in 1977 and married her two weeks later, on January 14, because he "just knew she was the one". The other day, one of his fine doctors at Health Sciences Centre, where he'd been since Monday, November 20, asked him what he'd done for a living. Without a moment's pause, he said: "I've been a newspaperman all my life." Not a 'journalist', not an 'editor', not even a 'reporter'. A newspaperman. He was. He is. While he considered the word a bit pretentious, Dave was simply one of the foremost journalists of his time, one of the last 'Golden Age' guys, one of the few top editors in the country who started as an underage copyboy in the early 1960s at the Winnipeg Tribune, and rose through the reporting and editing ranks to the highest news post in Manitoba: Managing Editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. Dave epitomized everything great and noble about that office, from the legendary John W. Dafoe to the present day. For him, it was all about "ours alone" -- news stories that only the Free Press had first and reported right. Tough and uncompromising, he demanded a high standard of everyone in the newsroom, hiring and/or mentoring some of the best reporters and editors to come out of Manitoba. Dave left the Free Press officially in 1993, but continued to work as a contract editor, producing many of the newspaper's insert publications until his ultimate retirement in 2012. In the vernacular of the trade, he had a good run. Dave's family would also like to thank Dr. James Paul and CancerCare Manitoba, as well as his longtime Winnipeg Clinic physician, Dr. Felix Sikora, for the wonderful care he received. As Dave wished "no fuss, no bother" over his passing, cremation services were held this week at Thomson Funeral Home in Winnipeg, without funeral or memorial services. His wife, Shirley, invites Dave's family, friends and colleagues to gather informally in his memory at one of his favourite haunts, Saffron's Restaurant, 681 Corydon Ave., from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 9. - 30 - THOMSON FUNERAL HOME 669 BROADWAY, WINNIPEG, MB R3C 0X4 (204) 783-7211 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsonfuneralchapel.com
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 02, 2017
Condolences & Memories (7 entries)
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Shirley I just came across this today and I want to say Dave was a character. And you were both great neighbours. I came back to Winnipeg in 2005 and was driving by The Brussels and low and behold Dave was standing out front. Stopped and chatted it seemed like the other day. Yikes ... 14 years later and I am reading his obit. I guess we will never forget him. Hope you are well. Robbie Fogg - Posted by: Robbie Fogg (friend) on: Nov 15, 2019
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Dave was an outstanding journalist and a fine person. He always found a way to laugh through the most difficult times and was a joy with whom to work. A good guy. Ken Gray - Posted by: Ken Gray (Colleague) on: Apr 21, 2019
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Was rooming with Dave and Bill Pethick in 1977 when Dave met Shirley. Next thing we were at a wedding at the press club! We had a lot of great times in those days. Sorry to learn of this news. RIP Dave. Moons - Posted by: Mike Mooney (Old friend) on: Jan 12, 2018
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Remembering good times at the Free Press Remembering good times at the Press Club Sweet dreams Dave Carol Partridge Regina, SK. - Posted by: Carol Partridge (friend) on: Dec 15, 2017
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Dear Shirley, and family. Our deepest condolences. You and Dave have been such good friends to my mother. We know that you will miss him greatly. Thinking of you with love, Petra and Frank - Posted by: Petra Reimann/Frank Minaker (friend) on: Dec 06, 2017
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In 1969/70, David was the reporter who covered the Manitoba centennial events. I was a program officer for the MCC and David and I were heading out to a meeting in one of the rural communities...I can't remember which one. We were driving down #2 highway and ran into a blizzard, the kind that left drifts along the road that could stop a car in its tracks. We pulled off the hwy. and got off at Starbuck and headed to the local pub along with a number of stranded travelers. Let It Be, by the Beetles was played over and over that afternoon and any time I hear that song, I think of David and our being stranded in a snow storm in Starbuck. RIP David - Posted by: Ellie Willis () on: Dec 03, 2017
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Best I could do, pal. Not a 'good story', but hope it's 'clean' enough for you, old friend. -30- - Posted by: John Sullivan (Friend and colleague) on: Dec 02, 2017
