David Molloy
1934 – 2022
David Ronald Charles Molloy was born August 27, 1934 in Picton, Ontario to Charlie Molloy and Elsie Mayhew. Along with his four siblings, he was raised on a dairy farm in Ontario which is surely where his incredible work ethic was developed, and maybe even his love of early mornings.
David met his love Betty in 1954, and they were married in 1955. Together they had 5 children- Chris, Janice, Susan, Jeff and Greg. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1957, and was stationed in Kingston before moving to Pettawawa. Being a Sgt. of the Physical Education and Recreational Instructor(PERI) or 851 Division was something he was incredibly proud of. He trained hundreds of soldiers in varying disciplines for military fitness battle readiness. After taking in a hunting trip out west, the lure of the prairie countryside was too much for him and he relocated the family to Edmonton. David later had posts in Alsask, Comox and finally returned to Alsask where he later retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in the early eighties.
Athleticism was an incredible gift that David possessed. He was a Judo 3rd Degree Black Belt and competed around the world including the Detroit Open where he was runner up. Volleyball and badminton were also sports he excelled at and enjoyed. This athleticism and toughness also payed off when he had a second job bouncing at bars in Edmonton. There were many stories shared over the years, and they all ended with the same result. I’m sure the menaces were no longer problems after Molloy got to them.
David was an avid hunter. Hunting provided his family with freezers full of meat, and later built a successful business guiding many hunters from around the world. He spent countless hours scouting the countryside of Alberta and Saskatchewan to provide the clients of Western Guiding Services their desired trophy hunts, and created lifelong friends over drinks in the “Tall Tales” room after a long day of hunting. Fishing trips were also a favourite and took him places like Vancouver Island, Alaska and the east coast. There were many giggles had when a tough guy like him struggled to hold up the massive fish he had caught for a photo.
While David loved all of these things, what he loved most was his family and friends. If he loved you, you knew it. He had a way of being the toughest and softest guy in the room all at the same time. He was incredibly loyal, and always stood up for the little guy. David’s children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren are scattered across Canada but anytime he could catch a visit, he didn’t skip a beat. He treasured those visits, phone calls and emails. In his later years, he also connected with another son, David Wilkins, and enjoyed his time spent getting to know him. His company even become his taste testers after he took a liking to cooking. You just never knew what wild game he prepared or how many jalapeños he snuck in, but you knew something was up when you saw that cheeky grin of his. He was larger then life and could catch the attention of a whole room without even trying with his boisterous voice, ability to tell a story whether it was exaggerated or not, and his quick whit. There was never a dull moment with him around.
David is survived by his 6 children and their spouses, 15 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Elizabeth Hanson. He was predeceased by his parents and 3 siblings, his wife of 64 years Betty, and grandchildren Jonah Molloy and Nevaeh Johnson.
As per David’s request, there will be no funeral service. He’d rather you remember the good times. Celebrate his life the way he lived- be happy, be honest and say what you feel, go for a hunt on the beautiful countryside, enjoy a great meal, or just cut a few wise jokes to keep folks on their toes. As he always said “Stay steady in the butts”….
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of David Molloy 1934 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Medicine-Hat, Province: Alberta
so sorry to hear of his passing was a good friend and neighbor