Dennis Joseph Tournat
Posted Feb 27, 2025 | 12:35 PM
The family is devastated by the loss of Dennis Tournat, a man who lived with a rebel’s heart. Whether hunting, fishing, or strumming his guitar, he found joy in life’s simple moments. Born in Saskatchewan, he left the family farm at 15, jumping a train to Fernie BC, where he worked as a logger, once chopping his kneecap with an axe. He survived a hotel fire, traveled back and forth to Saskatchewan by hopping trains—often covered in soot from the tunnels—and embraced a life of adventure. At 20, he met Wendy, the love of his life, and shared countless memories at country dances. A natural storyteller, he loved to recount his escapades, always captivating those around him.
After sowing his wildest oats, Dennis settled into family life while never losing his adventurous, sometimes mischievous spirit. He raised his family in the Okanagan, forming lasting friendships with people from all walks of life. He cherished his wife, Wendy, was inseparable from his Nana (Boo), and adored his children—Kim, Todd (Yoshiko) Don (Oahn)- as well as his grandchildren: Adrianna, Masaki David, Kazumi Elizabeth, David, Vanessa, Christine, and Winston.
A champion for the underdog, Dennis was a man so strong that he learned to be gentle and warm. He always stood firmly by those who needed him most. He left behind stories that will be told for generations—like the time he rode his horse, Silver, into a restaurant.
Though his voice is now silent, his spirit remains wild, free, and at peace.
He is survived by his wife, Wendy; his children—Kim and her daughter Adrianna; Todd and Yoshiko and their children, Masaki and Kazumi; and Don and Oahn and their children, Vanessa, David, Christine, and Winston.
