Dave McPhail remembered as a respected community leader

Journal Staff Sarnia lost a respected educator and community leader when Dave McPhail died peacefully at his home Tuesday following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Journal Staff

Sarnia lost a respected educator and community leader when Dave McPhail died peacefully at his home Tuesday following a lengthy battle with cancer.

McPhail was an educator in Sarnia-Lambton for 34 years, first as a teacher and later an elementary school principal at four different schools.

He was past president of the Ontario Math Association, Ontario Public School Principal’s Association, and the co-author with wife Sharon of 30 elementary school math textbooks.

He also served on numerous local boards and was instrumental in the successful “Save the Jail” committee, which reversed a government decision to close Sarnia Jail in 2013.

More recently, McPhail ran as the Liberal Party candidate in the last federal election.

Online tributes have been pouring in:

Said city councillor Bev MacDougall: “He was a passionate educator who built a second career around community advocacy for people and issues that mattered. He will be missed by all of us.”