The strength of a community starts when one neighbour helps Another.
DAVE STICKNEY was a Leaside resident, teacher, coach, friend and community leader. We are petitioning the City of Toronto to change the name of Markham Ave. in Leaside to STICKNEY WAY. Please change country to Canada before entering your address information.
David, affectionately known as "Stick", departed this world suddenly on Monday, May 11, 2015 at Goulding Park, doing what he loved – coaching softball. Loving friend of Janet Ozenbrook Stickney, loving father of Irene and Eric, beloved brother of Carolyn, dear uncle of David and Adam Grant, and cousin to Gary Kester and Ruth Driedger, Stick was also an honorary member of the Seon, Swift and Kolodzie families.
David attended Bessborough Public School and Leaside High School where, in his graduating year, he was chosen School Captain. It was at this time that his exploits on the football field earned him the nickname "Tank". He then moved on to the University of Toronto where he earned an Engineering degree, another year of mathematics specialization and later a M.B.A.
His teaching career began in 1965 at R.S. McLaughlin Collegiate in Oshawa. In 1968 he returned to Leaside High School where he established himself as "Mr. Leaside" over a distinguished career as a teacher of Mathematics and eventually head of the Math Department. Upon retirement in 2001, he kept up his attachment to the school as a supply teacher, softball coach and head of the scholarship committee, a role he gave up only three years ago.
Retirement freed him to delve more deeply into his other interests whether they were at the shallow end of life's pool -- Trivial Pursuit, crosswords and math puzzles, or at the deep end -- mentoring and serving as a life coach. Stick loved to hike, particularly the Niagara Escarpment trails west of the city. He loved to coach baseball; and when he added two weeks of walking in Great Britain to his repertoire eight years ago, he made sure the annual adventure was over by the end of April so as not to clash with softball season.
He dreamt of a walking trip to the south of France, and this year's two April weeks abroad were spent hiking the hills and pathways of the French Riviera and Provence.
He was devoted to his church, his family, and his multitude of friends. One file found among his effects this week contains several hundred "thank you" notes from recipients of his countless selfless acts of kindness.
