The Canadian travel industry is celebrating the life of an important early figure: David William Collett, who died recently at the age of 93. Collett was an executive at P. Lawson Travel and also served as Skal Toronto president in 1982. The following obituary, including remembrance service details, appeared in the Toronto Star on Saturday.

“David William Collett passed away peacefully, on April 26, 2024, on his own terms, at home with his family by his side. David was born on April 9, 1931, and grew up in the London, England suburb of Kew, during the Second World War. In 1957, he immigrated to Winnipeg and pursued a career with P. Lawson Travel.

He moved to Calgary as Western Regional Manager, and later settled in Toronto as Executive Vice President and part owner. David travelled the world and organized some of the first Around The World trips with a dedicated Air Canada 747 and flight crew.

A natural at sports, he rowed, played cricket and tennis, and made it to the fourth round at the juniors in Wimbledon. His true passion was golf, and he had the pleasure of golfing many of the famous courses in the US and Britain. As a longtime member of Islington and Dundas Valley golf clubs, he formed many enduring friendships.

David was married to June Collett (née Hebert); father of Jeff, Ian, Gary (predeceased) and Diane; grandpa to Andrew, Connor, Lauren, and Megan; and uncle to Laura, Jane, Logan, Erin and Matthew.

An animal lover who volunteered at the Burlington Humane Society, he and June gave six rescue cats the best years of their nine lives.

Please join the family anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. for a Memory Sharing Lunch, on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Mt. Nemo Golf Club, 5377 Walkers Line, Burlington, Ont. Private interment at Springcreek Cemetery. For those who wish, a donation in David’s honour, to Burlington Humane Society, would be sincerely appreciated.”