Memorable Manitobans: John Edward Dack (1912-1984)

Educator.

Born at Winnipeg on 22 May 1912, son of Stewart Dack (1866-1932) and Margaret Murray (1879-1951), brother of Stewart Gibson Dack, he attended Luxton School, St. John’s High School, and the University of Manitoba, receiving BA and BEd degrees from the latter, then going into teaching. He began his career at Central St. Paul School (1933-1937) where he continued until teaching in the St. James School Division (1937-1941), including at Assiniboine School (1937-1938) and St. James Collegiate (1938-?).

During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Canadian Artillery, attained the rank of Captain, and was stationed at Camp Shilo. Following his military discharge in 1946, he joined Winnipeg School Division and taught at Luxton School (1946-1953), Isaac Newton School (1953-1955), and Earl Grey School (1955-1957) prior to becoming Vice-Principal of Hugh John Macdonald School (1957-1961) and Churchill High School (1962-1966). He was Principal of Dufferin School (1961-1962), Isaac Newton School (1966-1970), and Andrew Mynarski VC School (1970-1973).

He married twice, first to Edna Marion Elder (1916-1962) on 26 August 1944 at the residence of his brother-in-law Alexander Venables, 1331 Princess Avenue, in Brandon and later to Helen Lilian Dobson (1910-2003) on 15 July 1967 at Deer Lodge United Church in Winnipeg. He traveled extensively after his retirement in 1973. He was a life member and Past Master of Fidelity Lodge No. 146 AF & AM and life member Scottish Rite of Free Masonry.

He died at the Grace Hospital on 3 July 1984 and was buried in the Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Sources:

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“S. Dack, veteran railway worker, expires,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 November 1932, page 4.

“St James school trustee to retire,” Winnipeg Tribune, 29 September 1938, page 11.

“Dack-Elder wedding at Brandon home,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 August 1944, page 6.

“Death [Margaret Dack],” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 January 1951, page 22.

Obituary [Edna Marion Dack], Winnipeg Free Press, 17 February 1962, page 50.

“Dack-Dobson,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 July 1967, page 23.

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

“Mynarski teachers will be honored,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 June 1973 , page 24.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 5 July 1984, page 40.

Obituary [Helen Lilian Dack], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 April 2003, page C9.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

The Perfect History, 1739-1982 by Bess Reid Marshall [copy held by Gordon Goldsborough].

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 18 August 2012, page B14.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 8 July 2019

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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