Obituary of David Hope-Simpson

HOPE-SIMPSON, DAVID Age 97 years, died peacefully on July 10, 2013, in Kentville. He was born in London, England in 1916, the youngest of three children. His parents were Grace Berridge and Francis Hood Hope-Simpson. He had many happy memories of childhood and the lovely English countryside. In 1934 at the age of 18, he went to Newfoundland to work in a lumber camp at Lomond, now part of Gros Morne National Park, and was assigned the job of bookkeeper. At that time, his Uncle John, a British civil servant, served in the ???Commission of Government?? that managed the affairs of the Newfoundland and Labrador colonial administration. He went on to study Geology at McGill University earning a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in 1941. Upon graduation, he joined the RCAF and trained as a Navigator and flew 35 missions in Europe until the end of the War in 1945. He was one of the few survivors of his Airforce training class. His upbringing and war experiences turned him into an active veterans?? advocate for peace, which he cared passionately about into his old age. In 1945 he returned to McGill to complete a PhD in Geology. David became a much loved professor of Geology, first at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and then at St. Mary??s University in Halifax. He had a lifelong love of and reverence for the natural world and was an accomplished mountaineer. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 64 years, Peggy and their children, Peter (Maria) in Australia; Ian (Lila) in the Gaspereau Valley area; Michael (Andrea) in Wolfville; Maggie (Derek) in Dartmouth; his grandchildren, John, Grace, Natasha, Rudi (Julianne), Jasmine (David), Moira and Martin, and great-grandchildren, Samu and Max, were very dear to him. He was a student of world religions, enjoyed yoga and was a regular attender of Annapolis Valley Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). He will be greatly missed. The family wishes to express its deep appreciation to the staff at Orchard Court, all of whom showed much kindness and care to David. Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of the Annapolis Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 34 Coldbrook Village Park Drive, Coldbrook. On-line condolences may be made through: www.annapolisvalleyfuneralhome.com. A memorial celebration of David??s life will be held on Friday, July 19th in Gaspereau Community Centre, Greenfield Road (across from Gaspereau Valley Elementary School). Celebration is from 7-8:30 p.m. followed by light refreshments.