Obituary for David Beamish
David Beamish died peacefully at home on Nov 4, 2019 at the age of 63 with his family by his side after a 32-month battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, David studied Civil Engineering at Carleton University. He joined the Bell telephone company after graduation and moved to Toronto, running a software development company on the side, while pursuing his passion for flying powered and unpowered (glider) aircraft in his spare time.
It was while volunteering as a gliding instructor that he met his wife of 32 years, Linda. After marrying, they decided to leave their respective professional careers to join a small distributor of testing instrumentation, with fewer than 10 employees, started by David’s father-in-law.
Over his subsequent 31-year tenure at DeFelsko Corporation, David became the General Manager and ultimately President, working tirelessly beside his wife to grow the company through consensus and relationship-building. Today, it employs over 90 employees, has distribution in nearly every country, and is a leader in the inspection equipment industry - much to David’s credit.
But David’s true passion was always his family. Despite his work commitments, he was ever present, attending events, coaching teams, and there to lend an ear or offer advice. He was a man of integrity; always patient, loving, and making quips with his infectious sense of humour. David exemplified what it is to be a great father, husband, and friend.
David’s family would like to thank his many friends who supported him throughout his illness, meeting with him for meals or drinks, driving him to appointments, and bringing happiness and joy to a man who was no longer able to do many of the things that previously fulfilled him.
A debt of gratitude is also owed to David’s fantastic medical team, including Dr. Nikhil Bhatt, Dr. Garth Nicholas, Dr. Lynn Chang, Dr. Gerry Ashe, and the Ottawa Hospital Neurosurgical team. Many thanks also to Brockville and District Palliative Care Service and Kathleen from Bayshore Home Care. They each went far beyond what was required and gave him many wonderful, quality months to spend with his family.
David is survived by his wife, Linda; his sons Michael (Jaclyn) and Paul; his grandson Henry; his mother Helen; his siblings Peter, Greg (Diane), Kevin (Kathy), Katherine, and Stephen (Lisbeth); and many beloved nieces, nephews, and relatives. He is predeceased by his father John.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at Irvine Memorial Chapel at Roselawn, 2451 County Rd. 15, Maitland on Friday, November 8, 2019 from 3-7 pm. A ceremony celebrating David's life will be held in the chapel on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 2:30 pm with a reception to follow. In memory of David, donations to the Brockville and District Hospital Foundaton's Palliative Care unit will be gratefully appreciated. Send a condolence on the memory wall above or place a donation using the link below.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, David studied Civil Engineering at Carleton University. He joined the Bell telephone company after graduation and moved to Toronto, running a software development company on the side, while pursuing his passion for flying powered and unpowered (glider) aircraft in his spare time.
It was while volunteering as a gliding instructor that he met his wife of 32 years, Linda. After marrying, they decided to leave their respective professional careers to join a small distributor of testing instrumentation, with fewer than 10 employees, started by David’s father-in-law.
Over his subsequent 31-year tenure at DeFelsko Corporation, David became the General Manager and ultimately President, working tirelessly beside his wife to grow the company through consensus and relationship-building. Today, it employs over 90 employees, has distribution in nearly every country, and is a leader in the inspection equipment industry - much to David’s credit.
But David’s true passion was always his family. Despite his work commitments, he was ever present, attending events, coaching teams, and there to lend an ear or offer advice. He was a man of integrity; always patient, loving, and making quips with his infectious sense of humour. David exemplified what it is to be a great father, husband, and friend.
David’s family would like to thank his many friends who supported him throughout his illness, meeting with him for meals or drinks, driving him to appointments, and bringing happiness and joy to a man who was no longer able to do many of the things that previously fulfilled him.
A debt of gratitude is also owed to David’s fantastic medical team, including Dr. Nikhil Bhatt, Dr. Garth Nicholas, Dr. Lynn Chang, Dr. Gerry Ashe, and the Ottawa Hospital Neurosurgical team. Many thanks also to Brockville and District Palliative Care Service and Kathleen from Bayshore Home Care. They each went far beyond what was required and gave him many wonderful, quality months to spend with his family.
David is survived by his wife, Linda; his sons Michael (Jaclyn) and Paul; his grandson Henry; his mother Helen; his siblings Peter, Greg (Diane), Kevin (Kathy), Katherine, and Stephen (Lisbeth); and many beloved nieces, nephews, and relatives. He is predeceased by his father John.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at Irvine Memorial Chapel at Roselawn, 2451 County Rd. 15, Maitland on Friday, November 8, 2019 from 3-7 pm. A ceremony celebrating David's life will be held in the chapel on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 2:30 pm with a reception to follow. In memory of David, donations to the Brockville and District Hospital Foundaton's Palliative Care unit will be gratefully appreciated. Send a condolence on the memory wall above or place a donation using the link below.