April 5, 1950-July 31, 2025
Dave McGill passed in the early morning hours of Thursday, July 31, surrounded by love and in the place he treasured most. His legacy continues with his wife Alaine (nee Nowell) and his four children, Emily (Nick), Anne (Chris), Christy (Josh), and James (Lindsay), along with his ten beloved grandchildren (Josiah, Zachary, David, Mayah, Ivy, Taliah, Leif, Abigail, Lily and Finnegan).
Dave was born and raised in Toronto, ON with his parents Samuel William and Margaret McGill. He is remembered by his siblings James (Karen) and Patricia (Brian) and his nieces and nephews. He loved being involved in Scouting, building and mechanical projects, airplanes, and spending time in Severn Bridge on the family farm. His love for the water began in the boat at the Boyd family cottage.
Dave met Alaine while both attended the University of Guelph. This is also where he made a personal commitment to give his life to the Lord. Following the example of his father, he remained in service to his church communities, finding a home congregation at Wellington Street Pentecostal Church in Bracebridge. He lived a life of deep faith, and embraced his death believing that it would only deepen his experience with God.
Dave and Alaine purchased a property in Utterson, ON in 1978 and lived out their dream of living on, and with, the land. They built a home, tended to their gardens and livestock, and taught their children how beautiful and plentiful the natural world is. Dave loved being at home the most, but the call of the wild took him adventuring into the lakes and rivers of Ontario, where he was especially drawn to Algonquin Park, the French River, and the astounding beauty of Georgian Bay.
Dave was a man in motion, always working with his hands. What others saw as useless junk, he transformed into treasures. Dave obtained his Industrial Millwright certification during his long employment with Canusa in Huntsville. He operated his own business offering canoe instruction and sharing his love of paddling with others. He worked in maintenance at Santa’s Village in Bracebridge before becoming a Maintenance/Works Supervisor, then a Correctional Programs Officer at Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst. He retired knowing that he was able to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Dave is fondly remembered for his love of music, art, birds, polar fleece and duct tape. He often quoted the poet Robert Frost, and genuinely embraced the life less travelled.
He split countless logs for fires that kept us warm and he made life sweeter, spending hours collecting and boiling maple sap. We are deeply saddened by his loss.
A Celebration of Dave’s Life will occur at Kerr Park, 130 Beaumont Drive, Bracebridge) on Monday, August 11th between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm. We welcome you to drop in. This will be a casual and joyful time together, surrounded by nature, stories and the people who meant the most to him. Parking is limited and overflow is available at Wellington Street Pentecostal Church (38 Wellington Street, Bracebridge). This will also be the alternate location in case of severe inclement weather. For more details visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/162WQP8dot/ and www.cottagecountrycremation.ca
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ERDO Emergency Relief and Development Overseas (erdo.ca) or the Friends of Mashkinonje (https://share.google/3jadNkzpSGBLvyXrp).
The family wishes to extend our sincere gratitude to the Palliative Care Team through HOPE Huntsville, Closing the Gap Nursing, Care Partners and Cottage Country Cremation Inc. So many amazing people supported us in walking Dave home.
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Dear Alaine and family. I’m sorry to hear about the passing of David. I’m sorry for your loss.
As a young cousin of David, I was always amazed by and looked up to him. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. He was innovative and confident in all he took on. From fixing an old tractor to building his family home, he was up for the challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed when David was at the cottage, or at farm or visiting Aunt Velma and Uncle Les. There was always so much to learn from him. He was quite the remarkable man. Thanks for the memories David. Rest in Peace. Bob Thompson and family
It’s very sad to hear of the passing of Dave. I worked with him at Canusa and was inspired by his passion and enthusiasm. His quirky way of looking at things often left me wondering, but he always proved that he doing it his way and he was proud of the outcome. Blessings to all his family, my thoughts and prayers are wth you.
Blessings, John Oliver