David Hugh Herbison was born on November 19, 1947 in Comox, B.C., the third child and only son of Agnes and Hugh Herbison. He died suddenly and unexpectedly on July 12th.
David’s childhood was spent on the B.C. coast and in Nelson, but from the age of 14, Argenta was his permanent home. He attended Jewett School and the Argenta Friends School. After attending Selkirk College David worked for the Vancouver Children’s Aid Society, at a transition house for troubled teenagers. The job equipped him with excellent inter-personal skills and deepened his compassion for humanity, qualities that informed his attitude and actions for the rest of his life.
From an early age, music was an important part of David’s life. He was an accomplished boy soprano, and throughout his adult life sang as a tenor, enjoying both classical and traditional folk music. He was frequently heard in performances of Handel’s Messiah and sang the roles of Rudolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme and Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute with the Nelson Community Opera, and performed several lead roles in productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in Argenta. He also enjoyed making music with his daughters and accompanied their fiddle tunes on guitar, often playing at local events and dances.
He served as the Argenta Postmaster for 13 years, and whether as Postmaster, president of the Community Association, neighbor or friend, David was always interested in people, was a sympathetic listener, kindly to everyone and generous with his time. People loved David, and so did animals – he raised goats for many decades, and it was not uncommon to see David in the company of several goats and at least one dog. He was an enthusiastic hockey player, and his Sunday afternoon games were a highlight of his week. He was a central and beloved figure in the Argenta community.
David is survived and greatly missed by his partner Noémi Kiss, his daughters Brynne, Vida and Poppy, his former wife Rachel Ross, his sisters Kathie, Wendy, Brenda and Nancy, his nieces and great nieces and nephews.
A celebration of David’s life will be held at the Argenta Community Hall on September 2nd at 3:00 pm. All are welcome.