David Dalton

Mr. David Dalton, beloved husband, father, grandfather, passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side, two days following his 85th birthday, in the Intensive Care Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, following a very brief illness.

Dave was born on November 30th, 1936, in Waterford, Ireland to parents Margaret and James Dalton. He spent his childhood in Waterford with his large family until the time he enlisted in the Irish Army and served in the 13th Southern Battalion for five years. Dave then emigrated from Ireland to Canada in September 1957, to live with his grandparents in Fort William, Ontario.

Upon arrival in Fort William, Dave was first employed as a movie usher, then moved on to delivery driver for a local pop bottling company and a local dairy company. Following this, he worked as a machinist at West Coast Wire before his long-time employment as a Millwright at Provincial Paper Mill until he retired in 1997. Dave met Selvian Berbenuik in 1959 and they were married in Port Arthur on October 14, 1961. They began their family, having one son and one daughter, and recently celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Dave was a proud, staunch Irishman and never gave up his Irish citizenship. These are the roots he instilled in his entire family for his whole life. Everyone he encountered would remember Dave to always be telling his stories of the Old Country, playing his pranks, or sharing his Irish humour.

Dave loved soccer and spent his early years playing in his spare time for several local and travelling teams and was well known for his goal scoring ability. Dave also loved to travel with his family to many destinations including trips to Minnesota and other places in the United States, as well as to British Columbia, Southern Ontario, Ireland, and England to visit family, but mostly he loved to travel with his grandchildren to out of town tournaments and competitions.

Dave’s hobbies included being a devoted grandfather to his two grandchildren, always babysitting, transporting, and happily attending every one of their dance recitals, competitions, hockey games, baseball games, birthdays, and graduation ceremonies.

Dave will be greatly missed by his wife of 60 years, Selvian; his son Danny; his daughter and son-in-law Colleen and Derek Demianiuk; and his two grandchildren Elizabeth (Jonathan) and Cameron (Lizzie). Dave is also survived by his sisters Joanie Robinson and Betty Dowd (Alan); sisters-in-law Lil Torma (Arnie), Carol Berbenuik, and Geri Berbenuik; brother-in-law John Maher; step-sister Ellie Fitzgerald; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins in both Canada and the Old Country. He was predeceased by his father James Dalton; mother Margaret Dalton-Fitzgerald; brothers William (Cathy) Dalton and John Dalton; sister Margo Maher; brothers-in-law Alex Berbenuik and Bill Berbenuik; sister-in-law Judi Berbenuik.

The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to the caring and compassionate nurses and physicians of the Intensive Care Unit at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Cremation has taken place and a celebration of Dave’s life will be held for friends and family in the spring of 2022. If friends and family choose, donations in Dave’s memory may be made to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.