David Lam passed away peacefully at North York General Hospital on December 2nd after a long illness.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Melina Lam; his children, Arthur Lam (Brett Thalmann), Edward Lam (Jennifer Ng), and Evelyn Lam (Richin Choi); and grandchildren, Colette, Victoria, Charlotte, and Marcus. He is also survived by his sister, his niece, Dr. Renee Cheong (Dr. Buong Chieng), and his nephew, Dr. Adrian Cheong (Elaine Kwok). David was predeceased by his mother, Dr. Lin Sen Lam; his father, Kit Chow; and his brother.
Born in Guangdong, China, to a family of scholars, David's maternal grandfather served as a chief medical officer in the National Revolutionary Army during World War II. Following his grandfather's untimely death, the family fled to Hong Kong as political refugees.
David graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Social Sciences, where he fell in love with fencing. He began his career in trade finance and became a commercial banker, working first at HSBC, then at JPMorgan Chase and Citibank, before joining ABN Amro, a Dutch bank, where he remained for almost two decades.
In 1990, David and his family immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in search of stability for his children, settling in Willowdale. In 1998, he returned to Asia to continue his banking career, helping to turn around a struggling bank in Macau and later serving as an advisor to the Monetary Authority of Macau, its central bank. He retired in 2013 and returned to Toronto to be with his wife and family.
David enjoyed intellectual pursuits, including playing bridge, investing, and reading about history and current affairs. He frequently engaged his children in discussions about these topics.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of David Lam would be appreciated by the family, supporting the University Health Network's Motion Disorder Clinic. Donations can be made at UHNfoundation.ca/tribute or by phone at +1-416-603-5300. The family extends their gratitude to UHN Western Hospital for their care.
A funeral service will be held at York Funeral Centre (160 Beecroft Ave, North York) at 11 am on December 23rd, 2025, preceded by a visitation from 9-10 am. Cremation to follow at 1 p.m. at Elgin Mills Cremation Centre.
Funeral Details
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Visitation
York Cemetery & Funeral Centre
160 Beecroft Road, Toronto, ON, CANADA, M2N 1W7
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Tuesday, 23 Dec 2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Funeral
York Cemetery & Funeral Centre
160 Beecroft Road, Toronto, ON, CANADA, M2N 1W7
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Tuesday, 23 Dec 2025 11:00 AM
Cremation
Elgin Mills Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Centres
1591 Elgin Mills Road East, Richmond Hill, ON, CANADA, L4S 1M9
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