KENNETH FAWCETT

It is with heavy hearts that our family announces the passing of our husband, Dad and Papa, Ken Fawcett. Kenneth Leslie Fawcett passed away, surrounded by his loving family, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Regina, Saskatchewan, following a long battle with Lewy Body disease. Ken is survived by his wife, of 49 years, Judy; and his three children – Kylee (Kevin) Lang, Kelsey (Jeff) Piercy, Chad (Jena) Fawcett; nine grandchildren – Brendan, Adam, Grace and Olivia Lang; James, Anna and Sammy Piercy; Payton and Connor Fawcett. He is also survived by his sister, Heather Giroux; brothers, Gord (Cecilia) and David (Lynn); brother-in-law, Ron (Cathy) Robison; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ken was predeceased by his father, Les; his mother, Ethel; and his sister, Lois. Ken was born in Dodsland, Saskatchewan, on April 4, 1951. He was raised in rural Saskatchewan communities before moving to Thunder Bay (Port Arthur), Ontario, in 1961. Ken's family next moved to Indian Head in 1966, where he first met Judy. Whether he was roping calves with the 4H club or riding his horse Ginger, Ken loved his days on the farm. His summers were spent working on the Ramsay farm outside Indian Head, and his school days either playing the trumpet in the school band, camping with the Boy Scouts, or playing hockey and football, where he helped lead the Indian Head High School Broncs football team to a provincial championship his first year on the team. After high school, Ken enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan, where he completed a Bachelor of Science Degree, in Biology in 1973, which he followed with a year at the University of Regina, pursuing a degree in Education. His university summers were spent mending fences in Cypress Hills, working as a brakeman for CN Rail out of Edmonton, and hitchhiking to Katepwa Lake to spend his weekends near Judy. After undergrad, Ken spent three years teaching – one at Limerick High School and two at Thom Collegiate, in Regina, where he was very involved in the outdoor Ed program and made a number of friends that would last a lifetime. He married the love of his life, on June 30, 1975. Following his teaching years, five years with the Government of Saskatchewan's Department of the Environment, and after building a house with the help of his friends and father, Ken entered the MBA program at the University of Western Ontario's School of Business Administration. Not long after graduating from the MBA program, Ken accepted an offer to join the Rydberg Levy Group as employee number 11. Over the course of a 26-year career, he would help turn what would become RLG International, into a global management consultancy, serving as its President from 2002 to 2006. Ken left RLG in 2011, forever proud of the business he helped build, and with a deep love for his partners, who he would not have wanted to do it without. During this period, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Regina Exhibition and the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, SK, and particularly enjoyed his time with the Regina Forum, a group of local business entrepreneurs, who shared best practices in a social setting for many years. A long-time resident of Regina, Ken loved spending time with family and friends at their summer cottage at Katepwa Lake, SK and their winter home at Wailea Point, on Maui. He was also always passionate about his golf game. Whether he was playing Pebble Beach with his RLG partners, or 9 holes at the Katepwa Golf Club, with his family and neighbours, the game brought him true joy. He was a long-time member of the Wascana Golf Club in Regina, and the King Kamehameha and Wailea Golf Clubs, on Maui. Ken always jumped at the opportunity to live life. Be it the gold medal game at the Vancouver Olympics, the 2016 Masters, the 156th Boat Race in London, or any number of his other adventures, Ken would never miss an opportunity to take advantage of an opportunity. He loved ice cream, fishing, hunting, gardening, walking, skiing, boating, a heartfelt toast, and, above all, music. Those who knew Ken knew of the passion and love he had for music – he made sure it followed him wherever he went. Throughout their 49 years together, Ken and Judy were a team in every sense of the word. Raising their family together was of the utmost importance to them, and their children and their respective accomplishments were an incredible source of pride. They also loved to travel. Whether it was with work, with kids, or just with each other, they made every trip special and were always excited to plan the next one. Words cannot express the pain Ken's family feels right now, but they take great solace in knowing that their husband, Dad and Papa, is in a better place. His positive outlook and resilience were an inspiration to his family and all who knew him. He lived his life bravely, with wit, grace, kindness, patience, and integrity, and greeted every person he met with a firm handshake, a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye. The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at College Park II Care Home in Regina, and the medical staff at the General and Pasqua Hospitals, in Regina. The family would also like to extend special thanks to the Palliative Care team at the Pasqua Hospital, as well as to Dr. Fernando Pagan, Dr. Stephen Bester, Dr. Peter Van Rooyen, Dr. Jim Carter, Dr. Bob Cameron and Dr. John Alport for their dedication and care. Finally, the family would like to send their sincere appreciation to all the friends that loved Ken along the way. Public Visitation will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel, 2136 College Avenue, Regina, SK on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, between 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Celebration of Ken's life will be held at Lakeview United Church, 3200 McCallum Ave, Regina, SK., on Thursday, July 25 at 1:00 p.m. Reception to follow at the Hotel Saskatchewan, 2125 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Parkinson Canada, at donate@parkinson.ca or to the Pasqua Hospital Palliative Care Unit, in Regina. To leave an online message of condolence or view the livestream of service, please visit www.speersfuneralchapel.com.