Obituary of Dale Boyce

The world became less bright on March 24, 2026, with the passing of Dale Boyce, aged 93, who slipped away peacefully with his two children by his side at Lakeridge Health Center in Oshawa, Ontario. Dale was born on January 8, 1933, at Kingston General Hospital in Kingston, Ontario.

 

Dale is finally reunited with his beautiful wife Helen (nèe Maguire) and their cherished daughter Diane.  He leaves behind to grieve, his children Wendy Nash and Kent (Jane) Boyce; his constant companion and sweetheart Carol Shelton; his grandchildren Jeff (Liz), Rebecca (Dan), Kevin (Samantha), Brett and Aidan; his great grandchildren Charlie, Beau, Ember and Holden; brother-in-law Glenn and son-in-law Tim. Also in great sorrow are his many nieces and nephews and their families who knew him affectionately as the beloved “Pa”. He will be profoundly missed by Carol’s sons and their families who came to love Dale over the past 10 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clark and Annie, his beloved sisters Amy and Elinor, his brother-in-law Fred and his precious great grandson Duke.

 

Dale worked on the family farm for much of his youth starting from an early age. He often regaled his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren about his life on the farm. He spent a few years sowing his wild oats out west but returned home in 1954 and soon after began his career with Bell Canada in Kingston, Ontario. Dale met Helen in 1954 and they quickly became inseparable, marrying the following year. Together they raised their loving children: two daughters and a son. They remained happily married until Helen’s death in 2015. In 1967, Dale began building a family cottage on Gananoque Lake and it became the unanimous venue of choice for family gatherings for many years.

 

After being transferred by Bell to Roxboro, Quebec in 1965, Dale learned that there were very few opportunities for his daughters to participate in organized sports. He immediately took the initiative to bring girls’ sports to Roxboro and surrounding areas.  He was particularly enthusiastic about Ringette, a sport his daughters played for many years. By the time Dale and family left Roxboro, the membership of Ringette had skyrocketed. His personal contribution and dedication to the sport earned him an induction into the Ringette Hall of Fame in 1979.

 

After being transferred to Ajax in 1972, Dale was introduced to the sport of curling. He immediately became an avid curler and enjoyed the sport for many years, often inspiring new curlers with his enthusiasm and commitment. This passion gave rise to many lasting friendships in the curling community.

 

Dale retired from Bell Canada in 1984, moving on to his next adventure, reupholstering. After successfully completing a course at George Brown College which he greatly loved, he soon began running a small reupholstering business of his own.

 

A legendary do-it-yourself-er, Dale’s love of his family was the only thing that rivaled his love of tools. Most domestic disputes centered around where tools should and shouldn’t be in the house. Frugal to the extreme but unsparingly generous, Dale never encountered a bent nail he couldn’t straighten or a board that couldn’t be used at least twice. At the age of 90, he was still mowing his own lawn, shoveling, snow blowing his driveway, and changing the oil in his car. He was an amazing figure in the neighborhood. He will be missed by all who knew him.

The family will receive friends at Payne Funeral Home, 178 Main St., Odessa on Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 2-4 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at Emmanuel United Church, 63 Factory St., Odessa on Friday, April 24, 2026 at 12 pm, with visitation at the church one hour prior to the Service. A reception will be held in the church hall following the Memorial Service. Private family Interment at Violet Cemetery.

For those desiring, memorial donations to a charity of choice would be appreciated in memory of Dale. Please share your memories and condolences to the family.

 

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