With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Jacob Dehan, age 77, who passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on April 20, 2020. Caring husband, loving father, and proud grandfather, he is survived by and will be dearly missed by his beloved wife of 55 years Eleonora Dehan, adored children Warren Dehan (Elizabeth), Audrey MacRae (Bradley) , Tanya Dehan and his five grandchildren Zachary, Olivia (Luca), Kyleah, Mathea and Schae. He is also survived by and will be missed by his three brothers, Avi (Maggie), Meir (Marilyn), Simon and two surviving sisters Shoshi (Oshi) and Chana, and his sister-in-law Mina with whom he was close. Jacob was adored by all his nieces and nephews, close family friends and colleagues.

Jacob was born in Oujda, Morocco on June 17, 1942, son of Machluf and Rachael (nee Ben-Adiba) Dahan. The family fled Oujda during the pogroms of 1948 and settled in Jerusalem, Israel. Jacob served in the Israeli military and fought in the Six Day War in June of 1967 working in communications on the front lines. Planning a new future for Nora and Warren, the family moved to Canada and arrived in Toronto, Ontario on August 10th, 1967. After a short stay in Toronto, Jacob accepted a software development job at National Cash Register (NCR) in Montreal, Quebec and the family lived there for 9 years before moving to Ottawa, Ontario where Jacob worked at the National Capital Commission in Information Technology. The family moved back to Toronto in 1977, and Jacob returned to a new role at NCR working in the early development of modern day bank ATM's. An independent spirit and entrepreneur at heart, Jacob left NCR and went into business as an independent technology consultant. Through vision, focused thinking, and long hard work days, Jacob began developing software for clients on mini-computers which he grew into a successful family business that today employs over 70 staff and has clients around the globe. His work ethic, passion, intelligence, tenacity and drive resulted in a successful business and legacy for his children and grandchildren.

Jacob had a keen interest in people and history, voraciously reading books on the subject, and was also a patron of the arts, who along with Nora enjoyed regularly going to live theatre and supporting the Jewish Film Festival in Toronto. Jacob enjoyed spending time in Florida during the Winter, feeling the heat of the Sun and doing the things he loved; swimming, walking with Nora on the beach, and trying to improve his golf game. Jacob took a keen interest in the lives of his grandchildren, spending time with them as a mentor, guide and sounding board. Jacob had an infectious personality that drew people to him and he carried himself with much pride in the humblest way. He was a selfless man and always did anything he could for others, he was truly one of a kind. Jacob will be remembered for the wonderful man that he was, and he will be missed dearly.

"I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world"

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in memory of Jacob Dehan be directed to provide high-quality patient care, and to fund leading-edge research and innovation at Sunnybrook’s Schulich Heart Centre. Your gift will be designated toward the Chair of Vascular Surgery.

Friends and family can make their donation via Sunnybrook Foundation by phone (416-480-4483), by web https://donate.sunnybrook.ca/jacobdehan
or by mail c/o Sunnybrook Foundation In memory of Jacob Dehan, 2075 Bayview Avenue, KGW01 Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5