David Alexander VALLIS

1937 - 2020

VALLIS, David Alexander: January 25,1937 -July 28, 2020 With love and sadness, the family of Dave Vallis of Penticton, British Columbia, announce his passing on July 28, 2020 from complications arising from Alzheimer's disease. David Alexander Vallis was born on January 25, 1937 in Saint John, New Brunswick, and was raised in nearby Westfield, on the banks of the Saint John River. At the age of seventeen, he became the first person in his family to attend university, enrolling at the engineering school at the University of New Brunswick. While at UNB, he met and fell in love with Enid Nowlan, and they married on July 21, 1956, embarking on a 64 year romance and partnership. Upon Dave's graduation in April 1958, he and Enid and their four month old son Jeff moved to Ottawa, where Dave dedicated himself to what turned out to be a 41 year career as an international civil engineering consultant. With a family that had grown with the addition of daughter Kathy and son Michael, Dave and Enid took postings to St. John's, Newfoundland; London, England; Durban, South Africa; then back to Ottawa. After the children moved out, Dave and Enid continued their peripatetic ways with stays in Calgary, Toronto and Chicago. All the while, Dave was engaged in the development of large infrastructure projects throughout Africa, Europe and North America. In 1999, at the age of 62, Dave and Enid decided to retire and finally put down roots. Recognizing their common enjoyment of golf, gardening and wine, they built a dream home in Naramata, overlooking Lake Okanagan, and enjoyed all that life in the B.C. interior had to offer. When Dave received his Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2010, Enid was determined to care for him at home for as long as it was safe to do so. Eventually, they moved to Penticton to be closer to health care, and three years ago, Dave moved into a long-term care facility. Virtually every day from then until the CoVid lockdown, Enid would visit with Dave, resorting to daily telephone calls when the pandemic closed the doors of the facility. When Dave was taken to hospital and then to hospice, Enid was once again able to spend time with him, ensuring that when he passed, he did so comfortably, without pain, and with love. Dave loved and admired his three children, and passed on to them his values, integrity, love of adventure and dry sense of humour. He was delighted by the adventures and achievements of his seven grandchildren. And, but for the cruelty of dementia, he would have relished getting to know his eight great-grandchildren. But most of all, and forever, he loved his wife. Dad is remembered by his wife, Enid; his children Jeff (Georgia), Kathy and Michael (Cynthia); his grandchildren Colin (Tanis), Vanessa (Steve), Jennifer (Josh), Jackson (Vanessa), Zachary, Jason (Julie) and Matthew (Lisa); and eight great-grandchildren. Dave's family recognizes with gratitude the excellent care that he received over the past three years at Cottage One at Village by the Station, and wishes to thank Kimberly, Denisa, Mike and Justin for their professional and compassionate care. A cremation has taken place, and in the circumstances of today's world, there will be no service. When it is safe to do so, the family will gather together in Naramata to celebrate a life well lived.