David J.L HUGHES

One year ago, April 16, 2021, our beloved father, husband, and grandfather David John Llewellyn Hughes died peacefully at home surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife Mary, sons and wives Chris/Sandy, David/Sheila, Jeremy/Miwa, Robyn/Jenn and grandchildren Michael, Tyler, Sam, Piper, Ainsley, Tessa and Sofia.
Born January 30, 1934, in Kingston on Thames in the Griffin Hotel, his father Arthur died when David was quite young and so he was raised an only child by his mother Fay who ran the Griffin Hotel from 1943 to 1973. During the war years David was sent off to boarding school at Marlborough which was the start of an academic pursuit that would take him to Emmanuel College in Cambridge on a scholarship where he graduated with honours in 1957. Prior to University he completed a 2-year stint in the army where he became a Captain in the Queens Regiment. As I write this and the more I look into the minutiae that sons rarely do I realize he really was a bit of a stud!!
After completing school his adventurous spirit led him to Canada where he would meet the love of his life Mary. They married and moved to Rhodesia for a brief period, then back to England and ultimately settled in Eagle Harbour, British Columbia where they sailed the gulf Islands, built a 35' sailboat in the driveway, built a cabin on Ruxton Island and raised a family. He had a long and successful business life and particularly enjoyed his years with Sierra Systems.
To those of us closest to him he was (and still is): the devil's advocate, the voice of reason, tolerant, at his best when things were at their worst, funny as hell when you least expected it, loyal, fair, always there for those he loved, on the sidelines no matter how bad the weather or quality of play, impatient, intolerant of impulsiveness in anyone over 18, a great story teller (rolling R's and all), a builder (though finishing not a strong suit), successful and respected in business, a sailor, a terrible cook, an even worse wine maker (I am still traumatized by the hangover), a good friend to a select few, a lover of Monty Python, Marching music, John Prine -especially 'Dear Abby', and pigs, a proud father, a prouder grandfather, extremely fond of his daughters-in-law, lacking in any sense of rhythm (unless marching though that could be somewhat embarrassing), a patient teacher, tough, appreciative of anything hand made, our Compass Rose.
He got a kick out of this line from a Kevin Welch song...
'There'll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read 'em but all that's gonna matter is that little dash between 'em'
We miss you every day 'Heavy!'