April 15, 2026
Tannis M. Richardson, a lifelong Winnipegger, philanthropist, and dedicated community leader, has passed away at the age of 99.
Born in Winnipeg in 1926, she later served as a Voluntary Aid Nurse during the Second World War—an early reflection of the commitment to service that would define her life. In 1948, she married George T. Richardson. Together, they raised a family that grew to include four children, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Tannis Richardson was widely respected for her extensive volunteerism and philanthropic leadership. A defining chapter of her work emerged following the loss of her daughter, Pamela, to juvenile diabetes in 1980. In response, she devoted significant effort to advancing research and awareness of the disease.
Over the decades, she contributed her time and guidance to numerous organizations in Winnipeg, including the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. Her work reflected both a breadth of interest and a deep personal commitment to preserving the heritage of the Richardson family and the history of Western Canada.
Tannis played an important role in the development and growth of our museum—from organizing our earliest fundraising galas to supporting the campaign to build the museum we now call home.
In 2023, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada arranged to interview Richardson about the “Ghost of Charron Lake,” a Fokker Universal—the first aircraft type purchased by James Armstrong Richardson’s Western Canada Airways Ltd. following its founding in 1926. On December 11, 1931, while flying supplies from Winnipeg, a violent snowstorm forced the aircraft down. Upon landing, it broke through the ice and sank.
In 1974, the newly founded Western Canada Aviation Museum launched the first of many expeditions to locate G-CAJD, now known as the “Ghost of Charron Lake.” The aircraft proved elusive, evading dozens of recovery dives over the next 30 years, for many of which Tannis and George Richardson would be present. Including the final search on July 4, 2005, when the outline of G-CAJD finally appeared on a search team’s sonar screen.
G-CAJD is the last surviving Fokker Universal anywhere in the world and is now on display at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in its original recovered state. Tannis Richardson’s support helped the museum grow into the organization it is today and will continue to support the sharing of this story for generations to come.
When reflecting on the museum, Richardson once said, “I think this whole aviation museum is part of what is Winnipeg. I happen to be a very, very staunch Winnipegger.”
As journalist Peter Mansbridge observed, “Part of the reason this city is as great as it is—and why people want to keep living here—is because you contributed so much. You and your family.”
The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada remains committed to preserving the legacy of James A. Richardson & Sons and the Richardson family’s contributions to aviation in Canada—from the 1926 formation of Western Canada Airways Ltd. to the development of Canadian Airways Limited in 1930. Today, our aircraft collection includes several aircraft that flew for both organizations.
Richardson’s contributions were recognized nationally when she was appointed to the Order of Canada in the early 2000s, reflecting a lifetime of service and impact.
Her legacy is one of generosity, leadership, and an enduring commitment to the betterment of Winnipeg. We will continue to display the G-CAJD, the ‘Ghost of Charron Lake’ just as she wished it to be seen, in its original state as recovered for all Winnipeggers and guests. We at the Royal Aviation Museum know that her passion and dedication will be deeply missed, but her generosity and impact will be felt across our city for decades to come.
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