MAYRS, David May 2, 1935 - October 18, 2020 Artist, husband, father, Grumpa, brother, uncle, friend, teacher, dog lover, avid reader, gamer, pipe-smoker, ringette/hockey fan… the list goes on. During the course of his extraordinary life, David (Dave) Mayrs juggled his unwavering devotion to family, his rewarding career as a teacher and his legacy as a celebrated artist. David (Dave) Mayrs was born on May 2, 1935 in Winnipeg, the fifth of six children to William and Marjorie Mayrs. He had many special memories of the first 12 formative years of his life, particularly summers spent at the family cottage in Gimli. He always carried with him a special and proud connection to his prairie roots. Dave was the ultimate family man...a devoted, loving husband for almost 30 years to Mary, wonderful dad to Margie Arnold (Dave Crowe) and Katy Mayrs, loving grandfather to Sophie and Chloe. Predeceased by his lifelong love, Mary Mayrs in 1998, his care and devotion to her during the 14 years of her illness were inspirational to his family. After losing Mary, he selflessly took on the role of both parents to Margie and Katy, and was Grumpa extraordinaire to Sophie and Chloe, whom he loved beyond words. He will also be missed by his brothers, Bill and Charlie Mayrs (Mary), brother-in-laws, Bob Lyman and Peter Crysdale, sister-in-law, Patricia Mayrs, many loving nieces and nephews, Yann Arnold, Kerri Lucas-West and their families, and his lifelong friends. Dave was predeceased by his brother Frank, sisters Margaret and Irene, and sister-in-law, Nonnie. Dave followed his passion, talent and his older brothers' lead and attended the Vancouver School of Art after high school. All four Mayrs brothers graduated from there and all went on to become talented and esteemed artists in their various fields. Upon graduation, Dave received a travel scholarship that led him to a stint in London, England, where he met his lifelong friend and fellow artist, Keith Branscombe. The years he spent in London generated over 30 sketchbooks that reveal the development of Dave's unique artistic style and perspective. After a brief encounter with the world of commercial art in the early 1960's, Dave landed as an instructor at the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr University of Art & Design). He found his niche as a teacher which also allowed him to pursue his true passion, painting. It was there that Dave inspired generations of young aspiring artists, including his two daughters who graduated from Emily Carr the same year that he retired (1996). In 2018, he was honoured to receive Professor Emeritus status from ECUAD. He managed to balance his devotion to family, his dedication to teaching and his creative need to paint. He proved to be a talented and prolific artist who has been celebrated internationally. His style and willingness to push boundaries created an air of controversy early on in his career. He gained notoriety when the police raided the gallery where his paintings were being shown in the early 60's. They confiscated, charged and put on trial for obscenity, one of his paintings - a Canadian first! The charges were dropped but Dave continued to challenge and provoke through his work. Dave's work garnered high praise from peers and critics in the Vancouver art scene. Many of his paintings have ended up in permanent gallery collections across Canada, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, as well as in many private collections. Dave's quirky, often inappropriate sense of humour always kept us in stitches. We will miss his "Grumpa-isms", the smell of his pipe and his unique perspective on the world. His steadfast devotion to those closest to him was inspirational. He was a quiet thinker… a true Taurus, but when it came to his family, one couldn't stop him talking! He loved to chat about the latest book he was reading, his newest video game strategy, his daily dog walks or current events. For those who knew Dave's wife Mary, you know there will be a lot of catching up to do and she likely greeted him with, "Say Hello, Dave"! The family would like to extend our sincere appreciation for the wonderful care he received at Berkley Care Centre. As soon as we are safely able, we will plan a celebration of Dave's extraordinary life.
Published by North Shore News from Oct. 28 to Oct. 30, 2020.
