It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of David Ross Woods after a courageous battle with cancer. Words cannot describe the enormous loss and sorrow felt as we said goodbye on Friday July 8, 2022.

Dave was born on May 20, 1959, to William Woods and the late Marie (Ross) Woods. He was a dedicated older brother to Paul, always leading by example.

Dave’s intellect, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge shone brightly from the beginning. He attended Western University in the hopes of pursuing a career in accounting before deciding to study law at the University of Toronto. For several years, he was a partner in the Real Estate group at Borden & Elliot (now Borden Ladner Gervais) and played an instrumental role in a number of Toronto’s key development projects. Dave would insist, however, that these accomplishments dwarfed in comparison to his greatest “deal” at the firm – meeting his soulmate, Kimberley (Graham). For over 30 years, they navigated life together and instilled their beliefs and values in their 4 children, Nicola, Hannah, Liam, and Tanner.

As Dave always put it, “one thing led to the next” and after leaving the firm, he built a long, adventurous, and successful career in real estate. Throughout, he was admired by many for his integrity, extraordinary knowledge, and uncanny ability to find creative solutions to even the most complex issues.

Dave will be remembered for his warm heart, quiet strength, and quick-witted humour. His infectious smile and positive energy lit up any room. He was pragmatic, never made an uninformed decision, and was always willing to provide gentle guidance to those who asked. He loved skiing and cycling but above all, Dave was a family man and will always be remembered as a loving husband, father, son, brother, son-in-law, and uncle. Dave’s passing leaves a void that will never be filled – a small price to pay for the privilege of having had him in our lives.

We wish to express our thanks and appreciation for the kind and compassionate care provided by Dr. Perera and Dr. Zeppieri and all of the nurses and staff at the Odette Cancer Centre and Sunnybrook Hospital. We would also like to thank Dr. Ngo of the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care together with Yury and all of the nurses and PSWs- without them, we would not have had the gift of Dave at home with us in his final weeks.

We are so grateful to our family, friends and colleagues who have been so kind and supportive over the past year.

A celebration of life will take place on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, starting at 4:00 pm. For those who wish, donations in Dave’s honour may be made to The Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital or to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation at https://supportthepmcf.ca/ui/DavidWoods/donations/start in support of the Dr. Philippe Bedard Research Fund.