David L. B. Heaney
10 December 1924 – 06 August 2017
A Memorial Service will be held in PFBC (Parksville Fellowship Baptist Church), 550 Pym St., Parksville at 10:00am on Saturday 26th August, 2017
David Langford Babb Heaney was born and raised near Collingwood Park in Vancouver, and attended schools near his home. He joined the Canadian Merchant Marine in his teenage years, and served there before, during and after WWII. He then continued as a Deep-Sea Master in that Service for another ten years. He sailed around the world more than once but he most loved the Coastal Trade in the Salish Sea and up and down British Columbia’s rugged coastline.
As the Canadian Merchant fleet shrunk, Dave took his wife (Valmai Clifford) and four young children to start a new life in California in 1955. He found a position as a Land Surveyor and took survey crews all over California, including the open expanses of the Mohave and the mountainous Sierra Nevada, which fostered his life-long love of the outdoors, and nature in all its forms.
When Dave retired back to British Columbia with his new wife Nancy, who also had his passion for the outdoors, they pursued forms of activities that would take them into the wilderness at all times of the year. When they lived in Nanoose Bay he pioneered a series of trails in the Fairwinds area including a path up to a high point that is now on the maps as “Dave’s Lookout”. It is an enduring testimony to a man who tirelessly encouraged others to attain fitness and to learn about and to love the nature that is all around them.
When Nancy died in 2002 Dave had to face life by himself and a move to a more urban setting in Parksville living in Wembley Place and then Madison Court. He
lived on his own for several years and in spite of the steadily worsening tremor that he had suffered for many years, Dave still maintained his vigorous and active lifestyle.
In the fall of 2015 David had severe mobility issues and was in hospital for several weeks. He now needed full time assistance for his daily life and eventually went to live in Stanford Place in Parksville. It was here, just after midnight on 6th August 2017, that David Langford Heaney slipped into the eternal arms of Jesus his Saviour.
His children, Glenys, Nyree, David and Colin, are thankful to the staff of Stanford Place for their care, and to the many friends who visited their father in his latter years. They miss him greatly.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Benevolence Fund of PFBC
Mail to the address above or online at pfbc.ca/give.
The Benevolence Fund supplies food, clothing and support to any people of the community who are in need.