David Spencer Brooks

Dave Brooks was born on January 7th in Toronto, Ontario, to John Stewart Brooks and Katherine Eleanor Victoria Brooks (née Spencer). He grew up in North Toronto alongside his half-sister Victoria Brooks and brother Ronald Brooks. Family played an important role in his early years and helped shape the values he carried throughout his life. Like many Canadian children of the era, he spent his days playing hockey, camping with friends and family and visiting many of his mother's siblings. These were years marked by strong family ties, lifelong friendships, and the freedom of a childhood spent outdoors. The foundation built during these early years would remain with him for the rest of his life.

The 1960s were a defining decade for Dave. Never one to follow a conventional path, he left high school early and began working for his father at McNaughton-Brooks, gaining real-world experience while many of his peers were still in classrooms. One of his fondest memories from this period was serving as a camp counsellor at Temagami Camp, where he led young boys on wilderness adventures through the lakes and forests of Northern Ontario. His love of the outdoors, independence, and leadership found a natural home in the rugged Temagami wilderness.

Dave also embraced the spirit of the era, including attending the original Woodstock festival in 1969, arriving so early that he helped set up the stage before the crowds arrived. At the age of sixteen, he met the young woman who would become his first wife and the mother of his children, beginning a relationship that would span much of the decade.

As the 1960s drew to a close, Dave began charting a new course for himself. The rebellious teenager who preferred experience over convention was already developing the ambition, confidence, and determination that would fuel a successful career in the financial world in the years ahead.

The 1970s marked Dave's transition from adventurous young man to husband, homeowner, father, and professional. He began his career as a stockbroker, embarking on what would become a successful and lifelong journey in the financial industry.

In 1972, Dave married Rosemary Tittmann. Together they embraced the energy and optimism of the decade, travelling through Europe while still enjoying the simple pleasures closer to home. Their honeymoon reflected both sides of their personalities—despite their travels abroad, they spent it camping on Lake Opeongo in Algonquin Park. The two enjoyed an active social life throughout the 1970s, and Dave even briefly joined Rosemary in the world of modelling.

As the decade progressed, priorities began to shift. The carefree TR6-driving lifestyle gradually gave way to the responsibilities of family life. Settled into their first home on Amelia Street, Dave and Rosemary eagerly awaited the arrival of their first child. In early 1978, Rosemary gave birth to Stephen, a healthy, large red-haired baby boy who would forever change Dave's life.

By the end of the decade, the young couple was preparing for another exciting chapter. With a growing family and a second child on the way, it was clear that Amelia Street would soon be too small, and thoughts were already turning toward a larger home and an even busier future.

The 1980s were a decade of growth, perseverance, and countless family memories. The Brooks family moved to Deloraine Avenue, into what many in the neighbourhood considered a remarkably large home for the time. In late 1980, Dave and Rosemary welcomed their daughter, Christi, completing their family of four.

The early years of the decade were not without challenges. Financial pressures occasionally forced the family to consider selling the house, but Dave’s determination, hard work, and talent for spotting opportunities in the financial markets helped them weather the storms. Known by many as “Brooksy,” he steadily built both his career and his reputation, creating a more secure future for his family.

As prosperity returned, so did some of life’s rewards. By the end of the decade, Dave owned his first Jaguar and had transformed the family home with renovations, including the addition of a sunroom that became a favourite gathering place. Weekends were often spent visiting the Tittmann family cottage or the Brooks family farm, where family connections remained strong across generations.

What defined the decade most, however, were the people and the celebrations. Family dinners rarely ended at the dinner table and often evolved into impromptu dance parties. Whether it was just Dave, Rosemary, Stephen, and Christi, or larger gatherings with his brother Ron and family, there was always laughter, music, and plenty of stories. Summers and holidays at Nana and Papa Brooks’ farm became treasured memories, filled with the kind of fun, warmth, and togetherness that would be remembered for decades to come.

The 1990s brought significant change to Dave’s life, but also some of his most meaningful experiences. As a family, the Brookses discovered a shared passion for skiing, spending countless winter weekends at Blue Mountain. Some of the fondest memories from those years were early mornings on the slopes, riding the chairlift four abreast and carving the first tracks through fresh snow before the crowds arrived.

As Stephen and Christi grew older, they excelled in their private school education and began preparing for lives of their own as young adults. At the same time, Dave and Rosemary faced the difficult reality that after many years together, their marriage had run its course. Their divorce marked the end of one chapter but opened the door to another.

After moving into a condominium, Dave eventually met Vasiliki Daskas, who brought two daughters, Anastasia and Angelica, into his life. Dave welcomed them wholeheartedly into the family, and they quickly became beloved sisters to Stephen and Christi. Though not connected by blood, the bonds they formed were every bit as strong as family.

The decade was not without hardship. Years of enjoying life to the fullest eventually caught up with Dave, and he faced a serious health crisis that would become one of the greatest challenges of his life. Demonstrating the resilience that had defined him since childhood, he fought through adversity and, by the end of the decade, received a life-saving liver transplant. It was a second chance that would allow him to enjoy more than two additional decades with the people he loved.

The 2000s were defined by gratitude, family, and the opportunities that came with a second chance at life. Following his liver transplant, Dave embraced the years ahead with renewed appreciation and optimism. As he entered his fifties, life looked very different than he had once imagined. Stephen and Christi had moved away to pursue their post-secondary education and begin lives of their own, while at home Dave found himself once again raising two young and energetic daughters, Anastasia and Angelica.

Together, Dave and Vasiliki built a warm and loving home, creating new family traditions while strengthening old ones. Despite children living in different places and being at different stages of life, the family always came together during Christmas holidays and summer breaks. Some of the most cherished memories from this period were weekends spent in Collingwood, enjoying time together aboard Dave’s boat and making the most of every opportunity to reconnect.

As the decade progressed, Dave moved into a beautiful home overlooking Lake Ontario’s Scarborough Bluffs. The stunning views served as a daily reminder of how fortunate he was to have been given more time. Surrounded by family, enjoying the rewards of years of hard work, and embracing the life he had fought so hard to keep, Dave entered the new millennium with a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for the people who mattered most.

The 2010s were a decade of reflection, change, and the growth of a new generation. Dave experienced the loss of both of his parents, John and Katherine, and with their passing came the difficult decision to sell the Brooks family farm. The farm had been a cherished gathering place for decades, hosting countless family celebrations and creating memories that would last a lifetime. Saying goodbye to a property so deeply connected to the family’s history was not easy for anyone.

At the same time, the Brooks family continued to grow. In 2012, Christi married Nick, beginning a new chapter for the next generation. Dave’s greatest joy in the years that followed was becoming a grandfather. He welcomed his first granddaughter in 2015, followed by two more granddaughters in 2017 and his first grandson in 2018. Few accomplishments brought him more pride than watching his family expand and thrive.

By 2019, all three of his daughters had married remarkable men. Christi and Nick had established their family, Anastasia married Shane, and Angelica married David. Seeing his children build happy lives of their own gave Dave immense satisfaction and reinforced the belief that family was life’s greatest achievement.

The decade also brought personal change. Following his divorce from Vasiliki, Dave embraced retirement and made Collingwood his permanent home. Surrounded by Georgian Bay, lifelong friendships, and an ever-growing family, he entered the next chapter of life with gratitude, perspective, and the quiet pride of a man who had watched the family he helped build flourish across generations.

The final chapter of Dave’s life was marked by both challenges and gratitude. The long-term effects of the medications that had sustained his liver transplant eventually took their toll, and kidney disease became a significant part of his daily life. Despite the demands of regular dialysis treatments in Collingwood, Dave remained determined to enjoy the time he had and continued to take immense pride in his growing family.

The decade began with the arrival of two more granddaughters in 2021, one born to Angelica and David and another to Anastasia and Shane. In 2022, he welcomed Stephen’s longtime partner, Leanna, into the family as they were married, adding another cherished member to a family that had always continued to grow through love as much as blood. Watching his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and their families build happy lives of their own brought him tremendous joy.

Time seemed to move a little slower in these years, but Dave never lost his enthusiasm for visits from family and grandchildren. Though everyone wished those visits could have happened more often, each one was treasured. His grandchildren knew him as Grandpa, whose bright blue eyes continued to radiate warmth, humour, and energy despite his declining health.

In early 2026, Dave was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Faced with the choice of pursuing chemotherapy or focusing on the quality of the time he had remaining, he chose to live life on his own terms. Following a terminal diagnosis in April, he spent his remaining weeks surrounded by family, friendship, and the people who mattered most to him.

On the morning of May 8, 2026, Dave suffered a fall and broke his hip while on his way to dialysis. Having made peace with the life he had lived and the journey ahead, he passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of May 9, 2026, with his daughter Anastasia by his side.

Dave’s story was one of resilience, reinvention, family, friendship, and love. From a North Toronto childhood to a life filled with adventure, success, challenges, and second chances, he leaves behind a legacy carried forward by the many people whose lives he touched.