Obituary of Tannin Michelle Dungey

Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly. Tannin left us to bring her bright infectious smile to another place, after a short, but courageous battle with Melanoma at the age of 31. She leaves behind her grieving husband of eleven months and the love of her life Billy, her Mom Carole, her Dad Mike and her brother Brendan, her parents-in-law Vickie and Jim Richardson, as well as her aunts, uncles and cousins in the UK and Canada, her Irish family and her extended family in Calgary, the US and BC. She also leaves behind her beloved dogs Diesel and Molly. Tannins spirit, courage, strength, determination all showed in her battle with cancer but this deadly disease would not give up and after a brief stay at the hospital she finally had to leave us. Tannin grew up in Calgary, graduated from the U of Saskatchewan with her undergraduate degree and then went on the U of Edinburgh where she graduated from the Animal Behavior program with her Masters. After a short career in banking; she was employed in the medical sales field where she excelled, her “Chatty Cathy” attitude, her scientific knowledge and the fact that she could talk to a rock, if needed, provided her employer with just the right mix for a successful businesswomen. Her Mom is going to miss her daily early morning phone call with the salutation “what doing”, even though it was clear that she was working, or on the weekends when she was having her coffee. Tannin made friends with everybody and she cared for all of them, even in her darkest hours she wanted to know whether her family were going to be OK, the benefit organized by three of her “angels” drew over 280 people who came to honor and support her and Billy, she was truly overwhelmed by this event. Tannin’s love of animals materialized in her part time position as an Animal Behaviorist, she loved to provide her knowledge and experience to those animal owners who had problems, and during the time she worked with the Calgary Humane Society she made a difference. The time she spent in Athens at the Greek Animal Rescue Centre, rescuing stray dogs, cats and the occasional Donkey, was another highlight of her life, the pay was nonexistent, the working conditions abominable and the living conditions, well she didn’t want us to know. When Billy was working up north, she would always on Saturday mornings phone her Mom and Dad and ask “where are we going for lunch?” and would turn up at the restaurant about the same time as they did. Carole and Tannin were inseparable; they would talk for hours about all of the problems of the world, even when she was in Edinburgh or Saskatoon. Sometimes her Dad would have to hold out the phone for minutes on end when she starting talking, because he just couldn’t get a word in edgeways, that’s the Tannin we will all miss. To those of us who knew and loved her we will have one special angel looking down on us and giving us the courage to live each day as a strong loving person….. She is our guardian angel and we know she will ROCK the world in which they live….so guardian angels watch out Tannin is on her way……… Heaven may well be a magnificent place but it will pale in comparison to Tannin’s amazing, beautiful and contagious smile, her beauty and her charm!!! The staff at the Tom Baker Centre provided quality compassionate care for Tannin and it was obvious that she touched them all, nurses on their days off came back to visit her, and cried with us when she left us. A Celebration of Tannin’s short life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S, Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made in Tannin’s memory to the Alberta Cancer Foundation (c/o Tom Baker Cancer Centre for Melanoma Research). 1331 – 29th Street NW, Calgary T2N 4N2 403-521-3433. In living memory of Tannin Dungey, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403) 243-8200.