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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday December 28, 2007 - 7 Barry Dawe was unselfish volunteer By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Just before he got sick, Barry Dawe was volunteering as a marshal at the Oakville Santa Clause Parade. This speaks volumes to the amount the Oakville resident gave to the town. As his younger brother Wayne put it, "He was always giving, giving, giving." Barry died Friday, Dec. 21 in the intensive care unit of McMaster Hospital, where he succumbed to a bacterial infection. He was 64 years old. "He was very, very unselfish," said Wayne. "He did a lot of volunteer work. He would do almost anything you asked him to, he was just that kind of giving person." Barry leaves behind his mother, Pearl, 95, and his brothers, Bruce, Ross and Wayne. The eldest of the four Dawe boys, Barry moved to Oakville more than 25 years ago. The Montreal native left a major footprint on the Oakville landscape. President of the West River Residents' Association (WRRA), Barry, who worked for Royal Bank, also served many years as WRRA treasurer. He sat on the board of Oakville Community Homes, served on committees dealing with intensification in Oakville and the Santa Claus Parade, to name a few. He was part of the StewartWashington group working with local councillors to clean up the Kerr Street area, was involved with the Kerr Street Community Consultation Committee and the formation of the Kerr Village BIA, and attended numerous town meetings on behalf of WRRA. The list of community service goes on. "Oakville should remember him as a person who gave back to his community with all his heart and soul," said fellow WRRA board member, Ian Waid. "Indicative of the kind of person he was, is immediately before he became ill, he was fulfilling one of his duties as one of the marshals of the Santa Claus parade. That's the kind of person Barry was." In 2006, the Rotary Club recognized Barry for his work, awarding him with the prestigious Paul Harris Award for dedication to community service. It is Rotary's highest honour. Barry's nomination came from Oakville Community Homes general manager Kathy Graham, who he worked alongside as WRRA's representative on the board responsible for Normandy Place, an affordable housing development. "He was the treasurer, and is to this day the treasurer of the company, which is very significant," said Graham, "But it was the personal stuff that he brought to us. He would drop by the office on a regular basis just to make sure there wasn't something that needed attention. He was just very caring about everybody." In addition to his role as treasurer, Dawe oversaw the people who received housing subsidies through Oakville "I think a lot of people don't even realize how much their lives were affected by his kindness, his generosity, his kind heart." NEW YEAR'S EVE Kathy Graham Barry Dawe Community Homes. "He very much affected a lot of people's lives. He had a very kind and generous heart," said Graham. "When people were borderline, he was always able to give them that little bit more, which in some other situations wouldn't be able to happen. "I think a lot of people don't even realize how much their lives were affected by his kindness, his generosity, his kind heart." Much of Barry's work was focused on bringing the concerns of the community to light and suggesting possible changes. "He was a very special person. It's going to be very difficult to fill that gap, there's no question about that," said Graham. "For the residents and staff and Rotarians, it was that warm heart and common sense attitude that really made the difference." Barry's brother Wayne found him "delirious" in the basement of his Oakville home on Nov. 20, with two enormous blisters on his arm and leg. Barry spent three weeks in the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) to treat what doctors called a bacterial infection. He began to bleed internally and was transferred to McMaster Hospital, Wayne said. Barry had an operation on his large intestine and never regained consciousness. "The bleeding just never stopped," said Wayne. "We found him Nov. 20, and he's gone a month later." Barry Dawe's funeral will be held today, Friday Dec. 28, at 11 a.m. at Kopriva Taylor Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Rd. W. RESERVE TODAY! 2 LIMITED SEATINGS AVAILABLE 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM OAKVILLE PLACE MALL ­ TRAFALGAR & Q.E.W. 905-338-6330 Sweet & Sour Please join us for a special N New Years Eve Dinner Dinner for 2 Dinner for 4 Dinner for 6 Reservations Required $30.95 $55.95 $85.95 (905) 845-8868 BRONTE Chinese Cuisine OPEN SINCE 1995 NEW YEAR'S EVE SPECIAL DINNER gs eason's Greetin ar S e Happy New Y & *Lucky Draw* 1515 REBECCA ST., OAKVILLE Near new mall entrance by Zellers · Own entrance at the front of the restaurant Restaurant is open even after the mall is closed 905-827-7073 · www.brontechinesecuisine.com