Born in Nelson BC, Des joined the Navy as a Radar Plotter while living in Princeton BC in 1958. A highly rated boxer, he won five golden glove titles across N America. As a LS in 1964 he fought his way to became the Canadian National Welterweight champion. In 1965 he repeated the process, only this time he won the Lt Heavyweight Championship.  For these feats he was inducted into the CF Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.. Des retired as a PERI from CFB Edmonton in 1975 and moved to Victoria where he worked at U Vic, then as a Corrections Officer for 12 years then retired in 1992. After living in Victoria at his "high 8" farm for a few more years he eventually moved to Kelowna.