“It was a lot more fun being 20 in the 70s than being 70 in the 20s.”
— Joe Walsh

Denis Wilfred Godbout
June 2, 1951 – March 6, 2026

Denis passed peacefully on the morning of March 6, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta.

Denis was the perfect track for his time. He arrived in 1951 as the first-born son of Yvonne (Mercier) and Alcide Godbout, into a proud French family raised with strong values.

Music was valued in the Godbout home, and Denis was just the right age when rock and roll came along. It was a time when a child could take an allowance, buy a 45 at the music store, and learn a song. He picked up the bass and played his first gig in 1966 at a high school dance, complete with go‑go girls and an accordion. His path was set. He grew his hair long, stepped into the scene, and that led to a lifelong love of putting down that bottom end. He went on to play in bands professionally around Alberta and continued to play weekly in his studio well into his later years.

Denis was analog in the best possible way. He built an extensive LP collection and held onto it. Long after the world went digital, his records were still there.

Denis was also a photographer — film, not digital. Nature, weddings and family events – he saw the world through a lens and left a legacy of what he loved. Others valued his talent and asked him to shoot their weddings and special occasions.

Summer work at his uncle’s farm in Bonnyville taught him to love the land, country life, and growing things. As payment, he received a transistor radio, and that little radio led him to CKUA – a lifelong companion.

In the 1970s, the family found a lake property. That brought a lifetime of family, friends, music, and connection. His father worked to build something, and his mother loved being out there. Late nights by the fire – Denis was always the last one still there.

He was a proud union member, working at Canada Post for 33 years. He knew collective bargaining made a difference, and that came from the same place as everything else – he cared.

He cared about the earth – recycling, reducing, keeping things out of the landfill. In his garden, he grew not just food but a connection to the land he had always loved. He also gave to environmental charities, quietly and often.

He loved many and was loved in return. He is survived by his life partner, Linda; his son, Jared; his stepdaughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Jonathan; his brothers, Norman (Terry), Paul (Susan), Victor (Sue), and David (Mavis); his sister, Diane (Ray) Greenall; and his foster sister, Ina Polowick. He was predeceased by his parents, Alcide and Yvonne; his adopted son, Cheyanne Yellowbird; his foster sister, Margaret Burnet; and his brother‑in‑law, Les Polowick.

Linda was not just his partner — she was the steady presence through so much of his life. She knew his stories, his values, his quirks. Together they built a life full of music, shared meals, and good times at the lake. With Linda by his side, he never had to leave the life or the place he loved.

Denis loved Jared. Through years of watching his dad play bass and practice, Jared found his own love of music. Camping trips to the BC mountains and time at the lake gave him a love for the land and every creature that calls it home – the wild ones out in the woods, and the ones that curl up beside you. From Blockbuster runs as a kid to late‑night movies as an adult, that love never changed. It was simple and steady. Jared was his son, and Denis held him close every day.

Denis loved Jennifer and Jonathan deeply. The father‑daughter dance at her wedding was one of his proudest moments. He showed up when it mattered most. During that dance, he again told her to set up her drums and play. His words stayed with her until she found an open stage at a blues bar, picked up some sticks, and played – for him.

Denis enjoyed being part of a band. The bass player and the drummer provide the foundation, and that was who Denis was. He formed lifelong friendships through music and truly enjoyed every moment of it.

Denis lived in a time when the music was great, families were large, lake lots were cheap, and everyone had long hair. He cared, he gave, and he had fun.

In his spirit, consider supporting CKUA or planting a seed and don’t forget to recycle.