DAVID JOHN FIELD

(December 23,1948 - January 22, 2026) It is with great appreciation for his life, after a lengthy and noble battle with cancer, that we announce the death of David Field on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Newburgh, Ontario, in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his loving family, at the age of 77. David was born in 1948 in Bancroft, Ontario. He spent time in Burlington, completed high school in Kingston, and in 1970, received his B. Sc. from Queen's University Applied Science, Civil Engineering. Married shortly after graduation, he spent three years working for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation before jumping at an opportunity to become head of the satellite office of a Canadian engineering firm in the Sultanate of Oman. There he worked hard, grew the company quickly through his ability to connect with and be trusted by people from all walks of life. He found time, with his family, to regularly enjoy the vast outdoor wonders that the land had to offer, and had a burgeoning love of folk art seeded by local artisans. Camping under the stars, wadi-bashing and suks were weekend staples. He would return, with his now family of four, to Canada after nearly 10 years – fed by desire to have his children know their grandparents. En route, they drove through 27 countries from Oman to Norway over the course of four months, camping for all but a handful of nights. In the 1980s and 1990s, David's work ethic would see him advance near the top tier of his firm in Toronto, rejecting the top role when offered it. He poured his restless energy into his work, home renovations, family, his love of the outdoors, and dealing in and collecting Canadiana antiques and folk art. Weekends were spent driving throughout southern Ontario - either loading up the car for family camping trips or loading up the cube van for the next antique show. Retiring from engineering work in his early 50s, David moved to Croydon, Ontario, where, amongst other things, his expanded "free" time allowed him to garden, maintain his incredible connection with his grandchildren, relocate and rebuild an 1850s log house from Quebec, travel throughout Canada – sometimes with his kayak - and continue to learn about and acquire folk-art pieces that spoke to him. Viewing himself as a custodian more than an owner of what he referred to as "objects of merit," he knew he had a responsibility to pass on not only the folk-art items, but also the stories they told to the next person to possess them. He acquired a vast and respected Canadiana collection, much of which he would responsibly and lovingly move on prior to his death. Most important to David, he was proud that he was able to "give back." Through his ability to bring out laughs while warmly, curiously and candidly connecting with people, David played a leading role in many good causes. He participated in eight Habitat for Humanity builds internationally. He was involved locally with Fairfield House, and Friends of the Salmon River. He led the Queen's Science '70 fund, connecting it directly to supporting the Queen's Rocket Engineering Team (QRET), which significantly reinvigorated their fund raising. He personally visited many QRET events and demonstrations, and his dedication to supporting engineering students was truly inspiring and contagious. He created the first of its kind template and model at Queen's to hand off the fund to the next generation - Science '90. His ability to be direct and enthusiastic all at once saw his work on the board of the Lennox and Addington Community Foundation have a great impact; where he met with potential donors, was responsible for significant fundraising, and championed noteworthy change for the good of the Foundation and community. David embraced life, and never took himself too seriously, by the ethos of staying interested and interesting. Invariably he left those he encountered laughing, having learned something new from time spent with him. He is dearly missed by so many circles of connection. Predeceased by his wife, Mary Jo, with whom he shared over 50 years of love and laughter; as well as parents, John and Margaret "Peg" Field (nee Clark), David will be forever held in the hearts of his children, Michael (Jenn) and Emily (Ed); sister, Jen; grandchildren, Sam and Alix; niece, Sarah; and loyal dog, Ryder. For seven years, Kathryn O'Hara was a loving and steadfast partner, offering unwavering support and devotion in his final years. He loved and was loved. A Celebration of Life – colourful socks and all - will take place in the fall, with details to follow. In memory of a wonderful, giving and loving life, the family would appreciate any donations to your cancer charity of choice.