Leo Dash August 21,1928 – April 25, 2026 Leopold “Leo” Frank Dash, age 97, a 60 year plus resident of Kamloops, passed away peacefully on April 25th,2026 at the Gemstone Care Centre in Kamloops.
Born on August 21st,1928 on the Frank and Anna Dash homestead near Glen Bain, Saskatchewan, he was youngest of 7 sons (Joseph George, Ferdinand, John Leopold, Frank Mathias, George Nicholas, Martin Joseph, Leopold Frank) and the last to pass away. Leo grew up near the homesteads of his Uncles and Aunts: Joseph/Anna Dash and George/Katharina Dash and their kids. Leo attended school with Dash cousins that grew up on these homesteads.
Leo’s parents, ethnic Germans, Frank Tasch and Anna Frank, were both born and grew up in small villages made up mostly of German settlers in Torontal Province, Austria-Hungary (today Vojvodina Province, Serbia). Frank Tasch came to Canada with his parents in May 1902 and settled in Regina. Anna Frank came to Canada with her parents in May 1904 and also settled in Regina.
Frank and Anna were married on September 11th,1906 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Regina. Their first 3 kids (including Ferdinand who died in infancy) were born in Regina, the remainder on the Frank and Anna Dash homestead near Glen Bain on Sec 17 Twp 11 Rge 8 W3M. The last name Tasch was changed to Dash when Frank and his brothers Joseph and George filed for homesteads near Glen Bain and Vanguard, Saskatchewan.
Leo moved with his parents when they retired to Regina in the fall of 1944. They lived in the “cottage” while Frank and Anna’s sons built them a new house. After high school went to Campion College in Regina, and then worked at Eaton’s in Regina, and then selling office equipment (typewriters, adding machines) at Underwood-Olivetti in Regina. Leo met Agnes Dash in Regina while she was enrolled in the Registered Nursing program at the Regina General Hospital. Leo and Agnes were married on 20 Dec 1953 in Frontier, Saskatchewan. They had three kids: Greg, Terry, and Sheila, and they were all born at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Regina.
Leo and Agnes and family moved to Calgary and then Edmonton in 1963, and then to Kamloops in March 1964. Leo continued in sales, working for over ten years at various sign/neon sign companies: Sign-O-Lite, Wallace Neon Signs, and then Neon Products. In the early 1970’s, Leo switched careers and became a member of Labourer unions in B.C. and Alberta and worked on large construction projects: bridges, large oil or gas pipelines. He retired in Dec 1992. After retiring, mom and dad continued to live at their long-time home at 526 Fortune Drive. Aside from one year in Saskatoon (Jul 1969 to Jun 1970) Dad lived in Kamloops from about Mar 1964 to April 2026: 61 years+. For many of those years, he was a member of the Moose Lodge.
Leo curled many years in Regina and Kamloops. He was also a passionate golfer and loved fishing in Stump Lake, Nicola Lake and other nearby lakes with his treasured McCullough aluminum boat and Evinrude outboard motor. Leo also enjoyed playing Whist and Hearts, and especially pinochle with Greg and Terry.
Agnes died in April 2007 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Dad was there for her and looked after her for all but the last couple years of her life. Keeping constant watch was tough on Dad. Leo later moved to the Independent Living Riverbend Seniors Home. With the help of home care, and even though legally blind, he was able to live there for a number of years. He then moved first to Ponderosa Lodge assisted living facility and then Gemstone Care Centre, where he lived until passing away.
Dad was predeceased by his parents, all his Uncles and Aunts on both the Tasch/Dash and Frank sides; his brothers and their wives; his many Siller first cousins; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Normand and Irene Heggestad, and Donna Heggestad. He was also predeceased by several nephews and nieces: Leonard, Helen, Jackie, Larry and Darlene He is survived by his three children: Greg (Gloria) in Cache Creek, Terry (Karen) in Calgary, and Sheila (Brian) in Cloverdale. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Kenton (Jeanette, Corry), Jarrett (Crystal), Courtney (Riley), Eamonn, Jorel (Nancy), Elyse (Dustin), Hillary (Fraser), and Tanner (Bridgitte), and many, many great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers- and sisters-in-law Omar Heggestad, Jerome and Lynn Heggestad, and many Dash cousins. He’s also survived by many Dash and Heggestad nieces and nephews located across the Prairies and into Ontario (Josie, Alice, Gary, Wilma, Ron, Judy, Gloria, Marleen, Lorne, Shirley, Carole, Valen, Tanis, Sharlene, Darwin, Darcey, Troy, Brent, Brad, Doug) and their families. Dad also has many Tasch relatives in Ontario.
Thanks to the caregivers at Ponderosa Lodge and Gemstone Care Center “assisted living facilities” in Kamloops for caring for Dad the last several years of his life.
A private, graveside service is being held at Hillside Cemetery in Kamloops. Dad is being buried alongside Agnes. A Celebration of Leo’s life to be organized later in the summer.
Rest in peace dad.
