David Oswald Finnamore

David was born in Tullamore, Ireland on November 5, 1930, where he was a member of the Church of Ireland in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare. He emigrated to Canada on his own at the age of 17 and made his home in Winnipeg. By his own telling, until he left Tullamore he had never driven in a car nor had he ever used a telephone. Over his years in Canada he lived in Montreal, Oakville and St. Catharines before finally settling in Toronto. David was an independent businessman: he sold real estate in the 1970s and established his own real estate brokerage firm, David Finnamore Ltd. at 624 Mount Pleasant Road, and he was also a former director of the Toronto Real Estate Board. Upon his retirement, David bought a bungalow in mid-Scarborough and with his charming personality, he became friends with many of his neighbours.

David had been a parishioner at St. Paul’s Bloor Street for many years, but became a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church (now known as Holy Wisdom), the parish church of his neighbourhood.

David was a cherished member of our church community: he was outgoing and friendly and very engaging. From the moment that David arrived at St. Peter’s, he became an active member of the congregation. He could be found at all church events with his camera in his hand, taking endless photos which he shared with the other members of the parish. He did not hesitate to join various committees at the church: he was on the Advisory Committee - serving as the note taker - he was a Sidesperson (a natural fit for his gregarious personality), and he stepped in temporarily to help our envelope secretary when she was away. David was the Chairperson of St. Peter’s Selection Committee when the parish was looking for a new priest in 2012. In this capacity David single-handedly wrote the parish outline for our then-bishop and took the lead in arranging visits to see priest-candidates at work, and in arranging for interviews. David was an unapologetic devotee of the Book of Common Prayer, saying the Morning Prayer daily. David loved a good church pot luck dinner and became well-known for his coleslaw and ham at church functions. A dapper dresser, he could be seen every Sunday, sitting in his favourite pew with his trademark Irish tweed driving cap on the seat beside him. He was especially good with young adults, making a point to speak to them with care and interest in their lives. In his interactions with his fellow parishioners, he always had a pleasant word, and a bright smile: he was an utter delight.

David eagerly anticipated the amalgamation of St. Peter, St. Ninian and St. John the Divine as they merged to create Holy Wisdom, and he was an active member of the renovation committee at the church, helping to guide the vision of our new worship space.

David shone at all of these undertakings but perhaps his greatest contribution to St. Peter and then to Holy Wisdom was as a reader. David always introduced his scripture readings with a thoughtful, well-researched commentary on the passage. And whenever he finished his introduction, he would announce with characteristic warmth, “And now let’s hear what … has to say.” In fact, at the invitation of the parish, he had been compiling these preambles into a book to serve as an enduring educational resource for the church.

David was a man of prodigious intelligence: he was very well read and could converse knowledgeably on just about any subject. He was a regular fixture at the Bendale Public Library where he came to sit and read books and the daily papers and to chat with the librarians. Even at the age of 95, David continued researching his interests on his computer.

David enjoyed travelling, especially road-trips, including recent trips to Winnipeg and to the North West Territories. He was an avid gardener and readily offered rooted clippings of his Roses of Sharon to friends and neighbours. He was generous with his books and gave many away.

David was the much-loved Uncle to Kevin (deceased 2023) and Joyce Mackay and their children Elizabeth and Cameron of Winnipeg who remained close. David was pre-deceased by sister Barbara Olive Mackay (2021) of Winnipeg. David is survived by his children and grandchildren, and niece Heather Tak (John).

The loss of our beloved David has left a profound ache for the many who knew and cared for him. We would like to thank all those who called, visited and sent cards while he was in hospital, and kept him in their prayers. A special thanks to Joyce who arranged to have lemon pie brought in while he was in hospital. That was his favourite treat next to Chapman’s vanilla ice cream.

David’s funeral will be held at St. Jude (Wexford) Anglican Church, 10 Howarth Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario, M1R 1H4, on October 3, 2026. Visitation at 10:00 AM and Funeral service at 11:00 AM.

Interment to follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 375 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON, M4T 2V8, CA

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Toronto Public Library Foundation or charity of your choice would be gratefully appreciated.