David John METCALFE

David John Metcalfe

 January 29 1941 – March 5 2018

 David was born at Chippinghurst Manor, Denton, South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire, UK because his mother was one of many expectant mothers who were evacuated from London during the second world war. He grew up in Watford UK and was training to be a telephone central office technician after he left school.  He moved to Jersey, Channel Islands in the early 1960’s and worked for the local government run telephone company. He met and married his first wife Ann and they immigrated to Canada in 1964 eventually moving to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island in 1968. He moved back to the UK in 1971 with Sandra who became his second wife in 1973 and they were managers of the King’s Head Pub in Holtspur, Beaconsfield, Bucks. In 1974 they moved to Johannesburg, South Africa and in 1978 immigrated to Canada spending the first couple of years in Toronto. He had switched trades and worked in the graphic arts industry installing and repairing pre-press printing equipment. 1980 a job opportunity in Vancouver brought them to British Columbia and eventually moved to Ladysmith in 1994 where they bought an existing small print shop, Ladysmith Printers and operated it together for almost a decade.

 David’s interest in photography was a factor when he left the telephone industry and because he had an enthusiastic interest in the South African Boer War brought them to Ladysmith so renamed by James Dunsmuir after the lifting of the siege of Ladysmith, South Africa February 28 1900 during the Second Boer War. David was very knowledgeable about the Boer War and had an extensive collection of memorabilia associated with it. Another Sandra came into his life in 2003 and became his friend, companion and overseer when the Dementia started to come to light and she tirelessly canvased on his behalf for diagnosis and care for him especially in the later stages of this devastating disease. Four/five days a week was not uncommon for her to visit and assist David when he was in the care home. George and Gladys his parents predeceased him by many decades and his three-year-old brother George died shortly before David was born.

 Friends who knew David will miss him and remember him with deep affection. His niece Clare and step-daughter Karen from his second marriage will remember him also.  A Celebration of Life is to be arranged at a future date.

 Donations can be made in David’s name to Alzheimer Society of BC, 300 – 825 8th Avenue West, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1E2

Obituary to come.

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