David never put himself ahead of others; he was always the first to ask, “How are you?,” or “How is your day going?”

The Hounsells both worked as educators; David teaching Grade 5 at Adelaide Hoodless School; Laura as a teacher/librarian in Stoney Creek. Their two sons, William and Jack, arrived in 2009 and 2011.

David loved his boys beyond measure, but he looked out for every child who crossed his path, whether in the classroom or in the neighbourhood. David could often be found at the playground next to his home, laughing and playing right alongside the children — patient, loving and eager to pass on his knowledge

David’s gentle nature struck a chord with kids, and he was equally as enamoured of the little folk.

May the sun shine warm upon your face...

The Hansell home stands out these days among others in Ancaster Heights because of a big off-white cooler that sits on the front steps, right beside Laura’s feet as she talks about her life with David and her boys.

Since Jan. 12, neighbours have been filling the cooler with any number of treats, from mouth-watering casseroles, beefy barbecued burgers, succulents soups and oh-so-delicious homemade cakes and cookies. Laura doesn’t know precisely how it works. Everyone seems to just take a turn cooking a little extra and leaving it in the cooler for the Hounsells.

Ancaster Heights families also pitched in to hire a housekeeper that came into the Hounsell home every couple of weeks, and neighbourhood boy Quinn Pitts faithfully shovelled snow all winter from the family’s driveway.

“They have made this journey...I can’t say easy, because it hasn’t been easy...but it is easier to do anything when you have the love and support of a community,” said Laura. “I can’t imagine this without them.”

The same generosity and care for the young Hounsell family is evident at Rousseau, five-year-old William’s school.

Educators like Janet Raymond, Stephanie Fanjoy and Anice Francis, other staff and parents have all taken William under their nurturing wings. They take turns making lunch for the precious little fellow, and a menagerie of his little classmates even toddled to the Hounsell’s door one day to personally deliver a handmade Welcome Home banner.

To this day, one of William’s most treasured possessions is the Feel Better Book, in which his classmates and his teachers each share a special message for the days, sometimes hours and minutes, when William is sad. Colourful and quirky, the handmade book offers up five-year-old tidbits of wisdom, like “Play baseball, it always makes me happy,” “William, you can count on me — Love Emma,” “Look at pictures of your dad,” or “Play race car.”

Says Laura: “The Feel Better Book is such a simple gesture, but it has given William some comfort in the worst moments of his life.”

A wooden bench has also found its way under a shady tree on the grounds of Rousseau. It’s called the Feel Better Bench, and is dedicated to both William and Jack, 3, who will start school in September.

...and rains fall soft upon your fields

Many people, young and old, living in the Ancaster Heights subdivision are missing David’s gentle nature, sharp wit and the expertise he would, could and should have shared about teaching children, building cars, drag racing, hockey, home renovations or any other topic about which he was passionate.

Leigh Drong and Brianna McGuire Holt, neighbours of the Hounsell family, have started a website to raise awareness and funds for a memorial to honour David. They want to put it somewhere in the rolling field beside the Hounsell home to remember a kind neighbour, a parent from their school and a member of their community who had plans with Laura to raise their two boys in Ancaster Heights.

“If it takes a village to raise a child, there are many of us who have lost a member of our village,” states the daveinthepark.com website.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand

David Hounsell suffered a seizure on Jan. 12, 2015. Tests later revealed he had Stage 4 melanoma, which had spread to his brain.

For the next three and a half months, David, his wife and family spent all of their spare time and energy fighting for his health, but the unstoppable freight train that is an aggressive cancer surged forward, tugging David relentlessly and inevitably from their lives.

Surrounded by those who loved him, David died peacefully at the Juravinski Hospital on April 25, 2015. He was 39.

Tears pool in the corners of Laura’s brilliant blue eyes as she takes a deep breath and tries to put into words what the community’s support has meant to her and her family during the past five months.

“At a time in my life when I was at my lowest point, feeling the most desperate and vulnerable, I had the love of not only my friends and family, but the love of a community behind me,” said Laura. “It takes a community to raise a child, and I feel that I have all their help and love. With all that support, it makes it a bit easier for me to slowly move on.”

The Gaelic prayer in this article, Until We Meet Again, was sung at David’s funeral by teacher Janet Raymond and William’s classmates at Rousseau School. Caroline Stinson provided guitar accompaniment.