December 15, 1937 - December 6, 2024
In loving memory ~
David Scott Fremont passed away on December 6th, just shy of his 87th birthday. He had fought a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease. Dave was however, so much more than what the last few years had thrown his way. He lived an extraordinary life.
Born in Vancouver, Dave was the middle of three siblings, including his older brother, and younger sister, Wendy. He attended primary school in North Vancouver before the family moved to Tsolum in the Comox Valley when he was 12.
In Tsolum, Dave's father, John, worked as a sheet metal worker while his mother, Winifred, managed the family farm. Growing up during a time when hard work and resourcefulness were essential, Dave quickly developed the self-reliance that would become a hallmark of his character. After graduating from high school in this close-knit community, Dave maintained strong connections with his classmates throughout his life, valuing those enduring relationships.
In his early 20s, Dave began an apprenticeship with BC Hydro, a step that launched a lifelong career. Around the same time, he met and married Monica Hempell. Together, they bought a modest waterfront home, renovating it to accommodate their growing family, which included sons John and Ron. As a young family, they embarked on countless adventures, particularly boating expeditions around Desolation Sound, Discovery Passage, and beyond.
Dave was a man of many talents and interests, with a deep appreciation for history, culture, and self-sufficiency. If something could be built, repaired, grown, or imagined, he would take on the challenge with determination. At just 12 years old, he built his own aqua lung for diving in the river; by 14, he had built a functioning car. At 19, he constructed his first boat—a 19-foot mini cabin cruiser—on his parents' property. Over the years, Dave undertook a variety of projects, including constructing a marine ways in his front yard for the boats he owned and building his own cement mixer, which he used to pour hundreds of yards of concrete.
Dave was also a founding member of the Ripple Rock Power Squadron and served on the Board of Trustees for the Campbell River Museum during its formative years, contributing to his community in countless ways.
In the early 1980s, Dave met Nola, and the two began a rich and fulfilling life together, eventually marrying and building a home on Stories Beach. Their shared love of the water continued with annual boating trips to Desolation Sound, building trails alongside friends from the Campbell River Yacht Club and the local boating community.
They loved to travel and learn about different cultures, making trips to the continents of Europe, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific. They made several return trips to Hawaii and Mexico reconnecting annually with friends gained along the way.
Dave spent his entire adult life in Campbell River, working for BC Hydro until his retirement. In his later years, as Parkinson's Disease began to impact his health, Dave and Nola chose to downsize and move closer to town, but they continued to enjoy their waterfront lifestyle.
Dave leaves a lasting impression upon all who knew him and to those left behind which include a wife, sons, brother, extended family, grandchildren nephews, nieces, and close friends.
We'll miss you, Dave, and we hope you're enjoying a second helping of pie with every meal.
At Dave's request, there will be no public service. A private ceremony will be held by the family at a later date to honor his memory.