David FEHR

FEHR, David
September 27, 1947 – Glasgow, Scotland
April 8, 2017 – Calgary, Alberta
"Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same". Emile Bronte
It is with broken hearts that we tell you of the passing of David, the love of my life and an unbelievable father to Jesse. His greatest gift to us is what we shared each day - to love and be loved. He died as he lived - courageous, passionate and caring more about others than he did himself. Always a kid at heart. We are so proud of him. While he was not able to say goodbye to all those he loved he hopes that you will understand and remember good times shared. To honor his memory, be kind to one another, believe in someone more than they believe in themselves, be passionate about life and always remember "when you fall down - get right back up".
Born in Glasgow, Scotland to father David Fehr, (November 15, 1923 - June 7, 2011) a well decorated WW II Canadian Soldier (MM) and Margaret Greer (McGinlay) (May 9, 1927 - December 4, 2003), his beautiful mother and a Scottish War Bride, they and his older brother, Owen "Bud" (Lesley), immigrated to Canada in 1948. He lived most of his early life in Saskatoon, SK with his sisters Maria (2013), Carol (Ron), Bonnie (Percy), Christine (2009) and Cindy (Merv), who he often fondly remembered and affectionately said many times that they had "spoiled him".
Sports played a significant role in David's life and he believed in the power of sports to shape a young person's character and contribute to their future success in life. He was an accomplished athlete in his own right playing baseball (playing in the Little League Championships in US with his team from Brandon); hockey (goalie) for the Saskatoon Blades and the U of S Huskies and was property of the LA Kings; and rugby for the Wild Oats in SK and then for the Saints Rugby Club in Calgary, where he became President.
With a B. Ed. and a great entrepreneurial spirit, David moved to Calgary in 1973 and after teaching briefly, created a successful service company, Productive Space Inc, with his friend and partner. PSI was an original partner with the Calgary Flames for the Reading - Give It a Shot Program. He won the Calgary Mayoral Community Award and also served as President of the Elboya Community Association.
David's love of teaching and passion for sports continued in to coaching hockey in both Elbow Park and Blackfoot and as a Coach and President of the Sabercats Lacrosse Association. His philosophy was simple - all skills to all players - readiness is individual and helping an athlete reach his or her potential is a coach's greatest accomplishment.
On December 10, 1981 we met and knew we had found our soul mate and with the birth of our son, Jesse Davis in 1987, his new passion became his family. His greatest thrill was to watch Jesse play hockey and lacrosse and our family vacations often consisted of taking Jesse and his friends on road trips to college campuses in Canada and the US to open their eyes to the opportunity to play sports while completing a college education. He was so proud of Jesse's accomplishments which became another wonderful family adventure while he attended Westminister, Harvard and Duke, playing for the Scotland National Lacrosse Team and in the NLL. He also cherished his time at our second home in NL where he was always amazed at the warmth of the people and the magnificent scenery on our favorite hiking trails along the cliffs.
In 2003, David embarked on a mission which became his dedication and a way of life for our family and other families; he founded the Okotoks Raiders Jr. A Lacrosse Club or the 'Raider Nation', as it is affectionately known. His legacy will be the success of the Raiders athletes in life, and it is through these successes that his love of the game and people will live on. The core values of the program which are instilled in the fabric of the Raiders organization and players - on and off the floor - say it all about this man we love - Family First, Education, Career, Lacrosse, Lifestyle. His impact on the lives of so many can be seen in the outpouring of love and support through social media. We know this will make him smile and will give Jesse and I strength. The Raiders will continue on with the clear vision and path that he forged which is etched in his key people's hearts and will be an enduring honor to his memory.
David leaves behind many treasured nieces and nephews and a large network of friends from all walks of life.
We would like to thank Dr. Desiree Hao, Dr. Skarsgaard, and the nursing staff at Unit 47 PCU at the FMC for their care of David and for their endless compassion. There will be a Celebration of Life for David in early summer, when his roses are blooming. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Children's Wish Foundation. Visit www.raiderslacrosse.ca for more insight into the Raiders culture and to learn about his legacy. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com.
In living memory of David Fehr, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park.