21 March 1952 – April 22, 2021, Age 69
Flying was his passion which he pursued at an early age, first in 1976 as a student and then with Toronto Helicopters. In 1981, as one of the first three pilots crewing the Sudbury air ambulance, Dave became a founding father of EMS helicopter pilots in Canada. He continued his association with helicopter EMS as he advanced from Captain, to Base Manager and eventually as Chief Pilot with Canadian Helicopters where he mentored many hundreds of pilots who followed in his footsteps. Dave capped his career working with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan before retiring to his longtime residence in Innisfil.
Dave, never without a friendly demeanor and warm smile, had a true love for life which came out in everything he did; whether it was reading through his vast library of books, cooking the Thanksgiving turkey, skiing, golfing with friends, or showing off his sweet diving board moves to his grandkids in the pool - he truly enjoyed it all. Dave was generous with his time and spirit, loved life and was always looking for ways to brighten the lives of those around him.
Dave and his unforgettable, booming laugh will be missed greatly by all who knew him. In keeping with his wishes, he has been cremated. A celebration of his life will be announced when pandemic restrictions have ended. We invite those who knew Dave to post your memories with photos to this website. Keeping with Dave’s personality, humorous stories are especially welcome.