William David White

William David White

June 30th, 1960 Surrey Bc - August 25th, 2023 Burnaby BC

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our much loved David White. He was a father and a grandfather, a husband and a brother, a soldier and a son, and the memories we’ve made with him will be cherished forever.

Born in Surrey BC, David and his sister Patricia (Paddy) grew up in the lower mainland with their parents Bill and Barbara White. He spent his summers hiking and fishing in the forests, and in his teen years building a cabin in the remote woods of the BC interior with his father. It was there that he found a love and appreciation for nature that would last the rest of his life. He travelled and worked all across the country as a young man where he developed and fed his passion for music. One of the greatest joys in his life, singing and playing the guitar was when he was truly happy and free.

He travelled the world during his military service, fighting for his country and patrolling multiple war zones in his time as a UN peacekeeper. He was incredibly proud of his service and was honoured to have been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. It was in the military that he sustained the major injuries to his knees that would leave him semi crippled and in constant pain the remainder of his life. The haunting memories of war lasted throughout his life, but the lessons he learned about bravery, compassion and hard work helped define the man he would become.

He married his first wife Suzanne and had two children with her. His son Fraser when they lived in San Diego California, and his daughter Ayla after they moved to Sechelt BC. They spent time together as a family in Sechelt before moving to Chilliwack and then to Agassiz BC where he ran a small hobby farm before opening a bulk food store. After separating with his wife, he then moved to North Vancouver but was soon diagnosed with a brain tumour. After years of intensive chemotherapy, radiation and multiple surgeries he managed to beat the odds and survive cancer. He then moved back to Sechelt and spent many years there, making music and memories. He opened a delivery company where he drove all over the Sunshine Coast, delivering food, furniture and laughs wherever he went.

David was a man who truly loved his children and was a firm but caring father. He loved taking them camping at his families cabin, boating and swimming, fishing and cooking on the campfire. He would take them hiking on the Fraser river and exploring the beaches of Sechelt and Gibsons. He always tried to bring them into nature and share his passion for the world. He taught them how to cook and how to clean, how to laugh and how to cry. He showed them how to work hard and how to appreciate what you have. Even in his darkest moments he was always there with a solution no matter what the problem was. He was an extremely open father who would never shy away from teaching his children about everything the world might throw at them. He taught them not only what they should do but also what they shouldn’t, and the lessons he taught them will guide them and their children for years to come.

After all his grandchildren were born (Stephen, Damien and Donovan), he moved to Edmonton Alberta. There he spent almost 10 years as a professional truck driver. He was a highly skilled driver who crossed the prairies countless times and mastered hundreds of skills in dozens of industries. He prided himself in being a respected, trusted and safe driver who always did everything by the books. He worked on the railroad and in the oilfield, on the pipelines and in transport. Wherever he was and whatever he was doing he was always ready to do whatever it took to get the job done.

It was in Alberta that he met his second wife Aileen. They were married in Fort McMurray Alberta and spent the first few years of their marriage as a couple on the go. They lived all over Alberta as they travelled with work before buying a home in Penticton BC. They lived there for a few years but the constant travelling back and forth to work were too much and they sold the property to go back to live in Alberta. They enjoyed living life to the fullest, exploring the west Edmonton mall, eating new and exciting food and having all kinds of adventures together.

After the death of his parents and as his own health began to decline, he decided to move back home to British Columbia. He came back to Chilliwack where he partnered into his sons business before moving to Langley BC where he and his wife opened their own cleaning company. During the pandemic, their company transitioned into working in the film industry in multiple roles all across the lower mainland. From PA work to set decorating and landscaping, he loved talking about all the incredible things he got to be apart of while working in film. They soon moved to Burnaby BC and he switched back to being a professional hydro vac operator as their film work ran out. He and his wife then purchased a property in the Phillipines where they had planned to retire before David passed away peacefully in his home.

David was a man who lived a thousand lives and touched just as many, he will be missed everyday.