DEGENSTIEN – David Elliot March 12, 1950 – November 15, 2019 David was born in hospital at North Battleford, SK and raised on the farm south of Battleford in the Eagle Valley District. He passed away at his residence in Govan, SK. He was one of ten children born to Edith Irene (nee Pearce) and Joseph Todd Degenstien. David attended elementary and high school in Battleford, graduating in June, 1968 after the family had moved off the farm and settled in Battleford a year earlier. Right out of high school he was hired as a contract teacher with the Federal Department of Indian Affairs, and taught a class of 28 grades 3, 4 and 5 students in Cross Lake, Manitoba. As he noted later, it was a very good way to learn that he didn’t want to teach school for the rest of his working life! In 1969 he returned to Battleford and helped build the family’s new home on 27th Street West. He later moved to Vancouver where he worked part time, boarded with his aunt and uncle (Flossie and Brian Mortimer), and attended technical school to prepare for a career in broadcasting. He returned to Battleford to accept his first full-time broadcasting job as a news reader and evening disc jockey at CJNB-AM in North Battleford. From there, he moved on to an announcer position at CFMQ-FM in Regina, and then to CKCK Radio & TV where he read evening news on radio, and late night TV news on weekends. He spent his last full-time year in broadcasting as News and Public Affairs Director at CFMC-FM in Saskatoon. David married Linda Mae Racicot in Battleford on June 14, 1975 and that summer they moved to Qu’Appelle, SK. David commuted to his new job as Information Officer (and later Ministerial Assistant) with the Department of Highways in Regina. Daughter Lori was born in May, 1976 and daughter Shari was born June, 1978, the year the family moved to a new home in northwest Regina. David began work in the private sector in 1982 in senior sales and marketing positions, and then returned to government service in 1991. Daughter Teri was born in March, 1986, and son Daniel was born in August, 1988. During his years in Regina, David was extensively involved in community activities, including as a founding member of the Regina Photo Club where he won numerous awards for his photography. For several years in the mid 1980’s David continued to work part time for CKCK Radio, reading news on evenings and weekends for several shifts per month. He also enjoyed doing yard work in their large perennial gardens, carpentry work in the house, and tinkering with cars and other mechanical projects (he rarely, if ever, had parts left over!). He earned qualification as a part time insurance and financial services advisor, developing and serving a client base over the more than 30 years he worked in that business. David took early retirement in the fall of 2003, at the age of 53, and in October, 2006 bought an acreage in the town of Govan, north of Regina. After selling their Regina home, David and Linda moved to their new home in Govan in February, 2007. Bored with semi-retirement, David began working part time as the assistant editor of Last Mountain Times weekly newspaper in June, 2007. In November, 2011, David and Linda bought the newspaper business, and along with family members, operated it successfully until his passing. David will be remembered for his quick wit and sense of humour, as a hard worker, and as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. David is survived by his mother Irene, his loving wife Linda; their children Lori, Shari, Teri and Daniel; five grandchildren; his five brothers and four sisters; Linda’s five brothers and one sister; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father Joe Degenstien, and Linda’s parents, Ed and Irene Racicot. A Family Gathering will be held at Battleford Cemetery, Battleford, Saskatchewan in the summer of 2020. For online condolences, tributes or memorial donations please visit http://www.fotheringham-mcdougall.com