David Beland HONDERICH

David Beland Honderich passed away suddenly, on Friday, July 26, 2024, at the age of 68. Devoted husband to Terri Bulger; loving father of Holly and Rachel. Dear brother of the late John and Mary; and uncle to Carl (Hilda), Clara, Robin (Becky) and Emily. Dear nephew of Ted Honderich. Cherished brother-in-law of Chris, the late Carol, Stephen (Catherine), Beth, and Lisa Coates. Dear uncle to Elle (Louis), Clara, Jack, Katie, Patrick, Stephen (Holly), Adelaide, Jane, Norah and Erin. David was born on August 22, 1955, in Toronto, the youngest child of the late Beland and Florence Honderich. After graduating from Lawrence Park Collegiate, he went to the University of Toronto to study political science. The highlight of those university years, though, was joining the Delta Kappa Epsilon ("DKE") fraternity, where he met lifelong friends. After graduation, David was one of the early hires for the Toronto Blue Jays in their 1977 inaugural season. After the Jays, he joined Harlequin and its subsidiary Miles Kimball, and spent several happy years working in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and New York City before returning to Toronto. Beginning in 1991, David opened two restaurants – Dave's on 35, a burger joint, and Dave's on 121, an ice cream shop. Both were close to his favourite place, his cottage in Haliburton, Ontario. He loved his ten years at Dave's. He spent his days flipping burgers and making milkshakes, and his nights water-skiing on Lake Kashagawigamog with his young family. A little while before he opened Dave's, David had met a fellow Torontonian, Terri Bulger, at a carbo-loading dinner on the eve of the 1989 New York City Marathon. That chance encounter prompted David to abandon his firm pledge to remain a bachelor, and he and Terri became a team. They booked adventures, tennis courts and tee times, and trips to Palm Springs, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico and more. Their adventures continued with the birth of their two daughters, Holly and Rachel. David adored his family. He didn't cry often, except when it came to his "three girls" (plus the rare Toronto sports victory). To Terri, he was a devoted and loving partner – her confidante and golf buddy for 35 years. To Holly and Rachel, he was a goofy and adoring father; their role model and biggest fan. He kept tabs on them no matter where they were in the world. And he was grateful for the loving partners Holly and Rachel found in Joel and JT. With friends, David liked nothing better than to gather around a table after a sporting event or to host a dinner and talk about sports, politics or the state of the world. Here, he was in his element, with a seemingly endless list of questions and opinions to match. He was also an accomplished and competitive athlete, who played sports up until the time of his death. He played recreational hockey in an adult men's league, tennis at the Granite Club, and golf at Thornhill. He made a legion of friends through his sporting endeavours that remain his close friends today. David's passion for playing sports was matched by his passion as a fan. He loved the Leafs, the Blue Jays, the Raptors, the Argos, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and his beleaguered Cleveland Browns. His passion was perhaps only surpassed by his perennial disappointment in the mediocrity of the results. It was a rare occasion to see David and not end up in a debate about the state of Toronto sports. David also enjoyed giving back. He donated time and money to treasured causes like the United Way, the Furniture Bank and Salvation Army. After years of active membership in the Granite Club, he was asked to serve on their Board, and was later elected President. He sold his last business, Gifts to Britain, in 2022, and devoted more time to charitable work at both Toronto food banks and Habitat for Humanity. Though David was a creature of habit, who stuck, sometimes religiously, to his routine, he was (nearly always) happy to laugh at himself about it. Above all, he was a kind and funny man who loved his family and always wanted to be with them. A celebration of life will be held to honour David's legacy on September 10th at the Granite Club in Toronto. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The United Way (www.unitedway.ca/).