Vernon Alton Dungey passed away peacefully on February 2, 2023, with his family by his side after a short, courageous battle with cancer.
Vernon, known as “Vern,” was born on March 17, 1937, in Emo, Ontario, to John and Dorothy Dungey. He grew up in Emo and was the youngest of four siblings. In his late teenage years, he decided to leave home to “work” on the Diamond Drills. He met the love of his life at a dance in Emo and the rest was history. He married his sweetheart Carol and they moved to Ignace in 1959 to help his parents run a cafe and gas station called the “White Rose.” In 1961, they ventured together into the minnow business and called it Vern’s Minnows. They ran the business while raising their three children Douglas, Susan and Wayne. Vern was not only an entrepreneur but a very creative person. If something didn’t work, Vern would find a way to make it work. He made his own minnow traps and bait fondly called “oatmeal balls.” He studied and acquired his own Private Pilot license so that he could fly into those small remote lakes to “trap minnows” for his business. He and Carol were very successful with this bait shop business until they sold it in 1995. The business may have new owners but carries on operating under this legacy name to this day in Ignace.
Vern “retired” and never looked back. He dedicated his time to “fishing” all those secret lakes he flew over all those years of trapping minnows. His hobbies consisted of growing flowers, specifically Dahlias and Peonies; woodwork; collecting scrap metal to sell; picking blue berries in the summer and cranberries in the fall.
In his younger years he was a dedicated member to the Ignace Lions Club and Snowmobile Club. While a member of the Lions Club he was instrumental in the 70’s for helping with the building of a racetrack for the Winter Carnival Snowmobile races. In his later years he was an active member of the Ignace Silver Tops and Cemetery Committee. If you met Vern, you’d remember him. He was a “people” person and always had a story to tell of his adventures. He will be remembered not only for “his stories” but also for his generous, giving heart. He’d give away his woodwork crafts, the flowers he grew, the blueberries and cranberries he’d pick, and of course, the “fish” he’d catch.
Vern was “Mr. Social Butterfly” and will be greatly missed by all and especially all his fishing buddies and close friends.
He is survived by his children Doug (Yvonne), Susan (Vic), and Wayne; grandfather to his grandchildren Dan (Steph), Rick, Katie, and Johnathon; his step-grandchildren Sian (Nick) Skarvig and Megan Durrant; great-grandfather to Élise and Samuel; step-great-grandfather to Gwynedd Skarvig and Samuel and Seamus Whalen; his sister Norma Erickson; and several nieces and nephews.
Predeceased by his loving wife Carol in 2005; his parents John and Dorothy; brother Art and sister-in-law Evelyn; sister Marlene and brother-in-law Tuck Yuill; father and mother-in-law Clifford and Beatrice Crawford; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Don and Marlyn Crawford.
One more story left to be told and many memories to be cherished and treasured.
A Celebration of Life for Vern will be held on May 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at New Life Church, 630 Pine Street in Ignace, with Pastor Tim Barker officiating, a light luncheon to follow. Interment of ashes will take place at the Davey Lake Cemetery.
The family invites those who cannot attend in person to watch the service here via Dryden Community Funeral Home’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1725829101166759/?ref=newsfeed
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Ignace Public School Loonie Lunch Program, 194 Davey Lake Rd, Ignace, Ont., P0T 1T0; Ignace Nursery School, 311 Pine St, Ignace, Ont., P0T 1T0; or the École Immaculée-Conception, 119 Lily Pad, Ignace, Ont., P0T 1T0.
Condolences may be posted at www.dcfh.ca.
Arrangements entrusted to the Dryden Community Funeral Home, 249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, Ont., P8N 2X3.
