Obituary of David Arthur Mathies
David Mathies passed away at the Grand River Hospital in Kitchener due to Covid. He leaves to mourn his devoted wife Ginny (Virginia Schreier), the love of his life whom he married in 1988. He was always deeply grateful for the love and support of his extended families of birth and marriage. Predeceased by his parents David and Anna Mathies, parents-in-law Del and Vernice Schreier, and brother Helmut. Surviving are his sister-in-law Nell Mathies, niece Rebecca (John) Peters, nephew Drew (Nancy) Mathies and their children and grandchildren, sister-in-law Anne Timmel, niece Becki Schreier, and cousin Ron Mathies and wife Gudrun.
Dave was born and raised in New Hamburg and received his higher education at the universities of Waterloo (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) and Toronto (teaching certificate). He began a lengthy career of teaching physics at Jarvis Collegiate in Toronto, followed by a few years in both Germany at the Canadian Forces school and Switzerland at an international school allowing him to drive around Europe in his red Porsche, and then many years at Bluevale Collegiate in Waterloo where he with colleague Peter Tucker developed a very popular annual “Christmas Physics Show”. He had high standards, was enthusiastic about physics and was invested in his students, making physics come alive. He spent many hours teaching and coaching badminton, offering much enjoyable contact with students outside of the classroom.
His diagnosis with MS initially restricted his teaching but he spent additional good years in the library at Bluevale. The following years diminished his physical abilities further but not his spirit nor determination to continue to live life to the full. Dave and Ginny spent many enjoyable winters in Fort Myers Florida. Travelling together to Norway, Bermuda, Alaska, Arizona and Midwest USA, as well as the immense daily assistance and love provided by Ginny were his greatest joy. Dave had a deep appreciation for his home town of New Hamburg, and he and Ginny, sometimes with family and friends, regularly visited to enjoy a meal or check the cheese shops, and always drove up and down many streets reminiscing over people and events of the past.
Cremation has taken place. Because of Covid restrictions no visitation or memorial service will take place. Condolences and memorial donations to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Kitchener, Mennonite Central Committee, or the M.S. Society Waterloo Region can be made through the Erb and Good Family Funeral Home at 519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com.