David Peek
November 18, 2025
November 18, 2025
November 18, 2025
Obituary for David Stanley John Peek
October 2, 1940 – November 18, 2025
With heavy hearts and profound love, the family of David Stanley John Peek announces his peaceful passing on November 18, 2025, at Royal Columbian Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.
David was born on October 2, 1940, during the midst of World War II, at his grandmother Annie Monk’s home on Babbacombe Road in Torquay, Devon, England. He was the first child of Beryl Annie Peek and Walter Leslie Peek. His father, serving as a sergeant responsible for a fuel depot in the Libyan desert, was away fighting Rommel and the German Army during David’s earliest years. David’s sister Brenda was born in 1942, completing their wartime family.
David attended Homelands Infant School, Ellacombe Primary School, and Torquay Boys’ Grammar School. He then began his career at age sixteen with Lloyds Bank on the Strand in Torquay.
In 1959, David’s life changed forever when he met Rona, who was a childhood friend of Brenda and who had also applied for a job at Lloyds Bank. After a 2-year courtship, they were engaged in 1961 and married in 1963 at All Saints Church, Babbacombe. After a short honeymoon in Brighton, they bought their first home in Kingskerswell, Devon, where they welcomed their first two sons—Ryan (1965) and Andrew (1966).
A transfer took the family to Dorset, and they moved to Dorchester in 1968. Then in 1970, David and family emigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; where friends awaited their arrival. David had secured employment with the Bank of Montreal and later traveled to Montreal for a banking course he fondly remembered. This is where he was first introduced to hockey and the start of his love for les Canadiens de Montréal.
Two years later, David joined the Bank of British Columbia, eventually becoming Staff Manager at the downtown head office. David and Rona also welcomed their third son, Colin, who was born in 1972.
In 1980, David’s work brought them to Kelowna. The family enjoyed years of exploring the countryside with their dogs and the boys on their trail bikes. David eventually left what had become HSBC and began a successful career in insurance and financial planning, where he was admired for his warm personal attentiveness and thoughtful guidance.
The family returned to Vancouver in 1987 to be closer to Ryan who had started a career in sales, and Andrew who was studying engineering at UBC. In 1991, with Colin now at UBC, David and Rona moved to Vancouver Island and settled in the seaside community of the Comox Valley. They lived in several homes before purchasing their cherished acreage in Seal Bay, where they enjoyed peaceful living, wonderful neighbours, and the companionship of their beloved big dogs. Visits from their oversea family members, friends from Vancouver, and the boys and their families made this a joyful chapter of life.
2021 saw Rona and David returning to the mainland for health reasons and to be closer to family support. This marked the final stages of a wonderful life.
Throughout all of these moves and adventures, David’s passions remained steady: English soccer, the Montreal Canadiens, long dog walks, his crash-bang-wallop Big Band Jazz, a relaxing pint of beer, cryptic crosswords, family, and staying connected with his life-long family friends.
David is deeply loved and will be forever missed by his devoted wife of 62 years, Rona; their sons Ryan (Kimberley), Andrew (Elise), Colin (Renee) and sister Brenda (Patrick). He was a proudgrandad to Nicholas, Clara, Austin, Sienna, Sterling, Rowan, Reese, and Lincoln; and was delighted to become a great-grandfather to Beckham in 2025. His children and grandchildren all have wonderful memories of their stubborn and loving dad and grandad. His warm chuckle, charming personality and passion for music, sport and family all live-on within them.
David’s life was rich with love, perseverance, and the simple pleasures he cherished. His legacy endures in the stories he shared, the guidance he offered, and the values he instilled in those who knew him. We are comforted knowing he is watching over us now while reunited with, and surrounded by, all of his beloved dogs. We love and miss you dad.
The family would like to thank the wonderful and dedicated staff, nurses and doctors at Swedish Canadian Village and Royal Columbian Hospital. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations may be made to the BC Cancer Foundation:
You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.
Thank you for all of the support from near and far. We have lost a few very close family members this past year, so our hearts go out to all of friends and family in North America and England (and Spain).
Of note, mum wanted to clarify that in paragraph 2, Dad worked at the Strand in "Torquay", not London.
Big hugs,
Colin
~ Colin Peek