David Reginald Woods

He is survived by his wife, Janet Woods (née Davison), children Julie (Bruce), Steven (Crystal), and Jane, and grandchildren Caitlin, Samantha (Donovan), John, and David (Connie), and many nieces and nephews in England. He was predeceased by his four musical siblings

David was born in England in 1927 in the town of Horsham, Sussex, to Horsham's blacksmith, William James Woods and Emma Woods (née Nightingale). Emma and Jim were in the Salvation Army, and David and his siblings grew up playing brass instruments. They became very accomplished, doubtless due to a love of music, but also perhaps due to their strict upbringing without movies or radio for entertainment.

David enlisted in the Royal Marines and received his Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music from the Royal Naval School of Music. He then became the youngest bandmaster in the Marines at the age of 23. He served on ships including the HMS Belfast, now a museum on the Thames in London. While serving on the Belfast, he served in North Korea during the war, occasionally being landed ashore with his band to entertain the troops.

David and Janet met in a pub in Deal. Another musician from his band was interested in Janet, but David pulled rank and insisted on walking her home. Together, they had three children, the first two born in England while Dave was still in the services. David had enjoyed seeing parts of Canada during his time with the Marines and was invited to Halifax by a producer with the CBC. He had learned violin while in the Marines, and played it in the Halifax Symphony for two years. Later he conducted for television and radio.

In 1968 the family moved to Toronto where he continued a successful career as a trumpet player, conductor and arranger. He was musical director for Ontario Place, the O’Keefe Centre, and for shows such as the Tommy Hunter Show, Downright Disco and Lotto Canada. He hired orchestras for many famous entertainers over the years and conducted the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with guests such as Sarah Vaughan, Roberta Flack and The Chieftains. As a trumpet player, he enjoyed playing with The Spitfire Band, Peter Appleyard, and many others including the Boss Brass, which he considered to be a highlight of his career.

David and Janet's children and grandchildren have continued to enjoy the gift of music, some as professionals, and others as a fulfilling hobby. In their prime, David and Janet purchased a cottage where family and friends enjoyed the lake and had dinners on the deck. On occasion, David would provide a serenade over the water that would attract boaters who would come and float nearby. David especially loved the family gatherings over the years, including the one for his 98th birthday in July, just one month before he died.

Canterbury Place became home to Janet and Dave in recent years. Residents came to know about David’s reputation as a musician, and asked if he would play his trumpet for them, which he did a couple of times. His performances cheered everyone up and are still fondly remembered by the community and staff.

In his final years, Dave often thought his playing days were over, and asked his daughter to take his trumpet away, only to ask her to return it. The last time he told her to take it, he waved and said, “Goodbye trumpet.” It was a very sad moment. But he clearly wasn’t done. A couple of months later, he asked to have it back and it remained in his bedroom until the end.