Before I had even read Kathryn Rambow’s beautiful, heartfelt tribute to David Littlefeather in the February-March 2022 issue To David Littlefeather, With Love and Thanks, I was already writing down my thoughts about McCauley losing one of its well-known, friendly ambassadors. I marvelled at how many memories of David I share with Kathryn.

David was a pure example of what makes McCauley great. He contributed as much as he could to help as often as possible. David would help at almost every community event, and he had a large number of t-shirts to show for it. He was at every Heart of the City Festival, McCauley Clean Up, the Church Street Fair, and the Christmas parties and rummage sales at Sacred Heart Church. He also served on the McCauley Community League board for two years in the early 2000s.

Fr. Jim Holland, former pastor at Sacred Heart Church, told me that David “really cared about the community, and especially his neighbours [in McCauley Apartments].”

Over the past two or three years I noticed he was thinner and appeared more frail and distracted, and yet his eyes would light up as he would excitedly tell me the news of the neighbourhood, “and everything like that,” to quote David. The last time we talked was in the fall of 2021 at an outdoor table at the Italian Centre. He reminded me to call him when the paper’s casino was planned, so he could volunteer.

I already miss seeing him sitting on the bench at 96 Street and Fr. Jim Holland Way (108A Avenue). We always waved when he saw my car. I am sure his dog Jimmy met him at the Rainbow Bridge.

Colleen is a McCauley resident and Volunteer Coordinator with Boyle McCauley News.