WRIGHT, DAVID JOHN 1961 – 2018 With great sadness – and much gratitude for a life lived to the fullest – we grieve the passing of Dave Wright on Thursday, September 13, 2018, at the age of 56. He leaves behind his wife and soulmate of 32 years, Karen and their daughters, Shannon, Katie and Lindsay.
Also mourning his loss are his sisters, Karen Wright and Janet Wright, his mother-in-law, Roberta Vice, Karen’s siblings and sister-in-law, John and Debbie Vice, Cathy Smart and his many nieces and nephews, Matt, Drew and Michelle, Sarah, Geoffrey and Stephen, Rachel and Tracy, Brendan and Conor and countless others who remember him as a trusted, generous, witty and loyal friend. Dave was predeceased by his parents, Sondra and Allan Wright, and Karen’s father, David Vice. Karen and Dave met in 1983 when they were both working at Peat Marwick in downtown Toronto. It was love at first sight and they were engaged eleven months later. Their life together was built on love, shared values, a commitment to family and a “seize the day” mindset. They were supportive of each other in their respective careers and over the years shared many adventures on the golf course, ski slopes and music halls. They considered themselves very fortunate to have had many wonderful friends and appreciated that their life together was richer as a result. First and foremost, Dave was a family man, cherishing his time with Karen and his three girls above all else. Many of the family’s happiest times were spent at their cottage on Lake Joseph. It was here, away from phones and TV, that they shared many special moments including campfire singsongs, a love of reading and time on the water.
Dave especially enjoyed family dinners where he and Karen could simply sit and connect with the girls. As Dave would say, his love for his girls was infinite. He led by example and instilled in them the importance of honouring your commitments and always giving your best in everything you did. He was an eternal optimist and saw every experience in life as a valuable teaching moment. He and Karen were tremendously proud of their daughters, empowering them to be or do whatever they chose. Dave was born in Toronto and graduated from Western in 1983 after studying business at the Ivey Business School. He joined Peat Marwick as an auditor, earning his CA in 1986. He moved on to a finance position at Nortel; during his two years with the company in Calgary, Dave and Karen made some lasting friendships and developed an affinity for the mountains. From Nortel, Dave moved to Microsoft holding Senior Leadership positions and finally fulfilled his entrepreneurial desires in co-founding Agora Consulting Partners, a software-development consulting firm in Toronto.
Dave was extremely generous with his time and expertise, never missing an opportunity to give back. He was an avid coach, serving on the boards of the North Toronto Basketball Association and the Lawrence Park Athletic Association. He mentored many young women, encouraging them to take up coaching and to give back. At Ivey, he was a pioneer on the entrepreneurship advisory board and its longest-serving chairman. He will be remembered by the countless Ivey alumni who were fortunate enough to have him as a mentor, coach, judge or instructor. Notwithstanding his many personal passions and professional accomplishments, Dave was humble and unassuming, always putting others before himself. He was kind, smart, generous and funny. We will miss him dearly and his optimistic and gracious spirit will live on.
We are indebted to the talented team at Princess Margaret Hospital for the wonderful care Dave received throughout his cancer journey. A Celebration of Dave’s Life will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 21st at The Concert Hall, 888 Yonge Street, Toronto. Visitation prior at 3 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Dave’s name to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (thepmcf.ca), or to Kidsport Ontario (kidsportcanada.ca/ontario) would be appreciated.