Passed away quietly at home in Guelph on Wednesday, November the 3rd, 2021 at 75 years of age. Loving husband of Dorathy (recently deceased) and beloved father of Deborah (Connell Smith), Daniel (Deche Catam-isan), and Darin (Cathy Lostrangio). Proud grandfather of seven; great-grandfather of seven more; and kind uncle to dozens. Dear son of the late Melville and Hazel Pletsch; beloved brother to Robert, Nancy (deceased), Murray, Laurence (deceased), Sheryl, and Lois.
Born into a large and loving family in the Quebec mining town of Noranda-Rouyn, David moved with his family at an early age to Sundridge, Ontario, where he would spend a happy childhood. Mechanically adept from an early age, David started working at the local Canadian Tire store as a young teen, and stayed with the company for almost 50 years — from North Bay to Toronto to Guelph, stock boy to parts clerk to Inventory Control Manager. It was during his time in Toronto that David, shy and quiet, but with a mischievous sense of humour, met the fun and feisty Dorathy Evans, and found his soulmate. Their marriage was a testament to the attraction of opposites, and they were inseparable for the next 54 years, settling into their small but much-loved family home in the countryside outside of Guelph, where they raised their three kids in an atmosphere of fresh air, books, and family adventures.
David developed an interest in computing when his daughter took coding in high school; he learned alongside her and then took courses at the local college. He applied his new skills at Canadian Tire and started his own small company, Hillside Systems, writing software and providing systems support for local businesses, mostly as a hobby. When he retired from full-time work, Hillside became both David’s second career and his avocation, connecting him to the community, and funding a happy retirement spent roadtripping with Dorathy. Together they “toodled about” finding new restaurants, playing the casino nickel slots, watching for wildlife, and just generally enjoying each other’s company and their ever-growing family. Though he missed Dorathy greatly after she passed away, David remained very much himself — good-natured and quietly full of fun — until the end. He was a wonderful husband, a good friend, and the best dad and grampa in the world. We will miss him every day.
While no service will be held at this time, a celebration of life for both David and his wife Dorathy is tentatively planned for next spring (details to come). For now, online condolences may be offered at www.passagescb.ca/obituaries and, if desired, memorial donations may be made to www.hospicewellington.org, which showed David, Dorathy, and their family such kindness.