David Thain

David passed away peacefully at Lennox & Addington County General Hospital on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, with his sister Anne, brother John and special friend Helen Hewitt at his bedside.  Born in Cobourg, Ontario on August 24,1945, he was the first child for Max and Muriel Thain.  He spent his childhood on the Thain family farm west of Warkworth where he enjoyed the traditional farming duties of milking cows, ploughing fields, baling hay and threshing grain. Always an excellent student, he first attended a one-room schoolhouse at S.S. No. 4 Percy Township and later Campbellford District High School. Following high school, he completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts & Science degree from Queens University while continuing to work on the farm in the summers.

Dave was an educator for his entire career. Initially, he taught mathematics at Crestwood Secondary School in Peterborough, Norwood District High School and Napanee District High School where he rose to the position of Head of the Math Department and later Vice Principal. He was also Vice Principal at the North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne for many years and spent a year as Acting Principal at Enterprise Public School. He also spent time as Vice Principal at Ernestown Secondary School in Odessa. Dave was always willing to give his time to students and was known for his unique ability to teach math in a way that made it easy for them to understand. In the earliest days of computers, he was an ardent supporter of having computers in schools and teaching computer science as a skill that would serve students well in the future.

Dave had a love of music and was an accomplished amateur musician. He was self-taught on piano, keyboards, guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and stand-up bass.  He could call a square dance when needed and enjoyed treating his extended family to professional musical performances. He was a strong supporter of the Napanee Legion and was a driving force to bring music nights to that branch. His own amateur musical group “The TrebleMakers” performed there on several occasions.

Dave was lucky enough to enjoy the love of three special women over the course of his life.  He married his high school sweetheart Katherine Curle in 1969 and together they renovated an old farmhouse near Campbellford. He later married Carol Batt and became stepfather to Steven and Lesley Batt. His special relationship with Lesley continued right up to the end of his life since she lives in the apartment at the rear of his home in Napanee. His special friend Helen Hewitt, her daughter Sherry Hewitt and granddaughter Shaylynn Hewitt have been especially important people in Dave’s life for many years now.  As her Papa, he was very proud of supporting Shaylynn’s talents at school and with music and her decision to attend Toronto Metropolitan University this fall.

While Dave has lived in Napanee for many years, around 1980 he purchased a cottage on Marble Lake which served as his base while teaching at Cloyne. The cottage always held a special place in his heart, and he enjoyed hosting family get togethers and parties for his many friends and neighbours in the area. In recent years he was proud to run the cottage as a successful rental business.

Dave is survived by his sister Anne Parker (Gary), brother John Thain (Sandra), his nieces Karen Wright (Doug), Rhonda Thain (Leon) and Michelle Thain (Mike), his nephew Stephen Parker (Meghan), his great nephews Mason Wright, Blake Wright and Aidan Parker and his great niece Makenna Parker. Dave’s extended family includes Katherine Curle, Carol and Al Grant, Steve and Shari Batt, their children Aaron and Samantha, and Lesley Batt and her children Alison and Matthew. 

Dave chose cremation without an immediate funeral service. The family plans to hold a Celebration of Dave’s Life in the spring. Donations in Dave’s memory can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, The Lennox and Addington Country General Hospital Foundation, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 137 (Napanee) or a charity of your choice. Online condolences, photos and memories can be shared at www.milestonecremationcervice .ca.

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