Tribute

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David James Lee on March 21, 2026, at the South Okanagan General Hospital, surrounded by his family, after a 3-month battle with esophageal cancer.
He was predeceased by his parents, Mary and James Lee; his first wife, Lorraine, and step-daughter, Cheryl; in-laws, Ray and Joan Carey; brother-in-law Alan Carey; as well as two very close friends, Graham Lamont and Keith Rowell.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Sandra; sons Paul (Emma) and Stephen (Meghan); grandson Theo; as well as many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.

David was born and raised in Leigh, Lancashire, England, by his parents, who adopted him at 8 months of age. He spent many years involved with the Anglican Church as a choir boy and also with a theatre group. He began an apprenticeship at Granada T.V. as an Electronics Tech at the age of 16 and remained employed there until moving to Fort St. John in 1968 with a work sponsorship. He then opened Dave’s Appliance and Refrigeration Service. In 1993, Dave moved the business and family down to Oliver, BC, where he resided until his passing.

David was a kind and giving soul with a big heart. He loved animals and owned several dogs and cats over the years. He leaves behind Tasha, our golden retriever, and Bella, our cat, whom he loved to spoil very much. He was an active volunteer with the SPCA right up to his passing.

His love of music also continued throughout his life, and he stayed involved in many choirs and theatre groups, performing on stage and working behind the scenes. In his later years, he loved going to karaoke and entertaining the crowds with his beautiful tenor voice and supporting his friend Graham, the Karaoke King. He enjoyed spending time outdoors in the yard and tending to his roses, which were his favourite. David also liked to travel and vacationed in Spain, the former Yugoslavia, and Cuba. He returned many times to Cuba, saying he loved the country and the wonderful Cuban people he met and stayed in contact with.

His sons have said that if there is anything they inherited from their father, it is his patience, wit, and sense of humour. He had a very dry sense of humour (he was British, after all), and you could always count on him to have a sly smirk on his face at the hint of a dirty joke.
As his wife, I will always think of him as my stubborn, obstinate Englishman who was my soulmate, and always will be.

We love you and miss you every day.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Oliver Elk’s Hall from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

The family has asked that you please consider donating to the BCSPCA or the BC Cancer Foundation in David’s memory.