Monday, March 11, 2019.
Don (Dad) was born in Calgary, Alberta in 1929. His father, Alexander (“Sandy”), came to
Calgary in 1900, and his mother, Arminella (“Mackie”) in around 1920. Dad spent his early years
living in the Turner Valley area in a field house while Grandpa tried his hand in the early oil and
gas exploration. When it was time for school, the family moved back to the city to their home on
Carlton Street.
Dad’s early years were filled with music. He began playing the violin at age 5, and would continue to pursue this talent until his early twenties when he earned his Teaching Degree from the University of Toronto School of Music. Dad played First Violinist in the Mount Royal Orchestra and gave many solo recitals. (Grandson Cameron now has Dad’s violin and we hope to hear music from it once again soon!)
In the early 1950s, Dad’s career went from music to law when he entered UBC Law School. It was as a young law school student that he met the love of his life, Betty-Jean (“Beegee”), while working up North in the Yukon as the purser on the “SS Tutshi”, a luxury tourist paddle boat that travelled the lakes around Carcross. Mum worked for the transportation company that hired Dad, and after a poetry filled courtship (Dad was quite the bard!) the two were married in Whitehorse.
Upon the completion of law school, Dad and Mum settled in Whitehorse where Dad would become the very first articling student in the Yukon, and Mum would give birth to their two sons, Alex and Bruce.
Another career move occurred in 1961, when Dad and family moved back to his home town of
Calgary and he began his twenty eight year contribution to Mobil Oil. It was here that their third child, Christina, was born.
After working for 18 years in the Calgary oil and gas sector, Dad, Mum and Christina moved to
Stavanger, Norway, where Dad became General Council for Mobil Oil Norway, a position he held for the next 5 years. Dad always spoke of his time in Norway as the most challenging and rewarding years of his career with Mobil Oil. Both he and Mum made many friends while living in Stavanger and spoke with great affection of the Norwegian people and for the time spent in Norway.
Living in Norway allowed Dad and Mum to travel extensively. They made memorable trips to
Scotland, Denmark, Greece, Barbados, Fiji, Australia and more - gathering friends and stories to last a lifetime.
Upon returning to North America, Dad worked for a short time in Toronto before retiring and heading out to the West Coast. Mum and Dad enjoyed their time in Vancouver and Victoria before returning to Calgary to be closer to their grandchildren.
Mum passed away in 2004. Although Dad still enjoyed his children, grandchildren and eventually great-grandchildren, without Beegee at his side, life was not the same.
The last four years of Dad’s life were spent living in the Providence Care Centre in Calgary. Dad was quick to tell us how wonderful the care was that he was receiving on the second floor, and we are ever grateful to the nurses, care practitioners and Dr. Joanna Debosz. Dr. Debosz called me today and we talked for a short while. One of her comments stayed with me, “Whenever we entered Don’s room he was always so gracious. He made our work here more pleasurable, and we miss him.”
We miss you too, Dad (Grandpa and Great Grandpa). Your generosity of spirit, quiet presence
and wise council will live on in us all.
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