David A. B. Wickes

Obituary

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our father, Mr. David Anthony Boyd Wickes, who left us peacefully in his sleep, on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at the age of 91 years.

David was born on March 5, 1934, in Montreal, Quebec to Eleanor and Norman Wickes. His early years were spent there and in Sutton, Ontario, with his parents and his older sister, Cynthia. David joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1952, which proved to be quite a calling. His exceptional skill, talent and dedication earned him the coveted position of pilot of the F-86 Sabre Jet, the most advanced transonic fighting jet of its time. It was during his training in Penhold, Alberta, that he met his first wife, Delia Laycock, a Dental Assistant at the Calgary Airforce Base.

David and Delia married in 1953 and had their son, Stephen, in 1954. In 1958, David retired from the RCAF and embarked on a new, exciting opportunity in the Beauty Industry. This career shift began with Marvel Beauty School in Toronto and grew into fifty plus years as a titan in the industry of sales, mentorship, distribution and entrepreneurship. In 1961, David met his second wife, renowned Opera singer, Eleanor Calbes. The couple married in 1963 and welcomed their daughter, Lara, in 1969.

A graduate of the University of Toronto, David started his own company in 1978 and built a successful national distribution business that thrived for decades. He was a mentor, visionary and pioneer in the Professional Beauty Industry throughout Canada. David married his third wife, Maureen Garvey, in 1996 and retired in 1998, at which time he took up writing. He wrote five fiction crime murder mystery novels and reached best-selling status in 2007, with his novel “Killing Time”, featuring the recurring character, Agent Jack Peterson.

In his later years, David was a member of Greystone Golf and Country Club, President of the Men’s Team and championed many club tournaments. He was also a member of the International Snooker League; he and his son, Stephen travelled the world representing Canada. David was an avid Bridge player for over fifty years and reached Ruby Life Masters status in 2019, with the American Contract Bridge League. A sports fanatic, David was a season ticket holder to the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Argonauts, and diligently followed the Toronto Maple Leafs and later the Ottawa Senators.

David was a man rooted in integrity, dignity and accountability. He had tremendous love and pride for his children, his German Shepherds and his Ontario property, which he owned for over thirty years. The lifelong friendships he fostered amongst his colleagues and community carry on his legacy to this day. David will be lovingly remembered by his son, Stephen (Jeannine), and his daughter, Lara (Tevia, children Ryder and Skylar).

Rest in Peace, David. You made an incredible impact on so many lives. You will be missed dearly and never forgotten.

Photos

Messages + Memories

April 6, 2025

Rest in Peace Wicksey. I’ll miss my favorite Uncle. Smart. Witty. Competitive. Always the gentleman. We shared many great times together and some of the best of those were our days on the golf course. Especially all those years we battled it out in the Greystone Member Guest Tournament, which we never won, but we sure had fun trying. This picture was from our last adventure together – taking the train from Toronto to Montreal a few years back. Love you David.

Peter Root

April 3, 2025

David thank you for being one of my first mentors. Your influence was impactful to me and to everyone around you. RIP

Shelley (Wagner) Murphy

April 2, 2025

I am often reminded of the times that David and I drove together to one of our regular bridge games. The 50 minute drive took us through some of the really scenic parts of the Niagara Escarpment. While we drove, there was always interesting conversation. David was interested in a huge range of topics and we covered politics, technology, dogs, and many other subjects. Of course there were many bridge discussions too.

Mike Sidnell

April 2, 2025

RIP Papa Wickes!

Jordan Hayman

April 2, 2025

A wit as dry as a sirocco. A physique befitting his past fighter pilot status, much to the embarrassment of those of us to whom gravity was not kind. To share one memory of how David put responsibility above popularity...in his role with the ABA, he championed the cancellation of the open bar at AGM's due to the abuse and wastefulness where those bar costs exceeded the total of all other event costs. Why? Because he made the Board recognize their accountability for how they spent the money of the membership. Bravo David. That is integrity!

GORDON GREENWOOD

April 1, 2025

Thank you so much for visiting our Father's tribute site. 91 years on this earth, and man, did he cover a lot of ground! He left behind so many friends and family, and will be cherished and fondly remembered in our hearts for ever.
Rest in Peace
Love
Stephen & Jeannine

Stephen Pavlick

March 31, 2025

David and I have been friends and bridge partners for almost fourteen years. He was my bridge mentor over the years but we also shared a special friendship. His integrity and respect were unsurpassed. David was a very accomplished person and he loved all that life had to offer. I am very fortunate to have had him in my life. He will always be in my heart.

Elizabeth Williams

March 31, 2025

I had the great pleasure of being a bridge partner and friend to David the last 10 years or so. A wise, gentle and most interesting man. Of special interest to me is that David was good friends with Mill and Staff Gould of Saskatoon who were also in the beauty supply business and employed my father in Winnipeg after Dad retired from the Federal Government. Through them he and David had frequent contact.

jim lefrancois

March 31, 2025

Dearest Lara,

I will never forget the first time I met your dad. David truly was a force- bright, sharp, accomplished.

Your father did a phenomenal job passing on a treasure trove of valuable skills and inspiring in you a reverence and commitment to excellence and mastery.

Your father loved you fiercely and I know he will be sorely missed. Rest in Peace David. Yours was a life well-lived.

With much love and deepest condolences,

Tressa

Tressa di Figlia

March 30, 2025

Rest in Peace Dad.
Love you forever. 🙏🏽💔

Lara Wickes

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