Donald Don Dodd

       He was the son of Gladys and Ian Dodd. Don grew up in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario in the Steelton Area.

      Don was raised with four siblings. He had three younger sisters, Shirley, Diana and Linda and one younger brother, Alan. He and his siblings experienced rivalries typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years. While Don was in the military, he tried to come home as often as he could to see his parents, brother and sisters and they made trips to see him and his family, too.

      As a young boy, Don had a number of interests. Like most children, he enjoyed playing and making up games. He was curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Don was an active child who took part in baseball, basketball and hockey. He was involved in Scouts and sports. In his spare time he liked to tease his sisters and brother and to hang out with his friends. Don's memorable achievements included becoming King Scout, the highest achievement in Scouts. However, to Don, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his friends.

      A typical teenager, Don had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He enjoyed some classes more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. While he did not finish his Tech school to get his diploma, his favorite classes in high school were 'shop classes' which eventually led to his career in the military as an excellent electronics and instrumental technician.

      Always considered a “good” friend to those he knew, Don enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during his lifetime. While growing up, some of his best friends were Richard Dowding, Tommy Dodd, and Gary Latvanen. Later in life, he became friends with Pete Pietraszko, Tom Irving, Merlin (Henry) Ford, Ernie Delaney and Bill Govett.

      Don met his wife, Esther in his travels in the Air Force. Esther was also in the Air Force and they soon found themselves in love and planning a wedding. On May 11, 1957 Don exchanged wedding vows with Esther Alfreda Jeffery at the Catholic Church in Fort Frances, Ontario. Empathic and loyal, Don was committed to making his new family happy.

      Don worked hard to be a good father to his children. Don was blessed with five children., two sons, Jeffery and Barry and three daughters, Lisa, Donna and Shelly. Another blessing for Don was the gift of thirteen grandchildren., Amanda, Sarah, Julie, Emily, Ryan, Melissa, Timothy, Brian, Codey, Jeffery, Andrea,Colin and Stephen. He loved his grandchildren more then anything and spent as much time as he could with them. He was interested in what they were doing and talked to them or talking about them whenever he could. He was a very proud Grandfather.

      Fortunately, Don enjoyed his career in the Royal Canadian Air Force, later renamed the Canadian Armed Forces and finally last year back to the correct name, Royal Canadian Air Force. He served proudly for 31 years. He was posted to Comox, British Columbia and then from 1960 - 1965 to Marville, France, and then off to CFB Cold Lake from 1966 to 1974 and lastly to CFB Greenwood until he retired Through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Sergeant. Don always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done. fellow soldiers viewed him as a brother in arms and knew that he was as much a part of their family as their loved ones back home.

      Don enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were gardening, string art, coin collecting, doing cross word puzzles and listening to music. His gentle touch with flowers brightened not only his yard, but the whole neighbourhood as the rows of hanging flowers danced in the sun. He was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      Don found pleasure in sports. Recreational sports included hockey. Don was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he had the chance to do so. Tops on his list were football, hockey, curling and boxing.

      Throughout his life, Don was a doer and was always actively involved in professional organizations. Throughout his later years, Don was an active member of the Naval Veterans Association, the Legion, and the Royal Canadian Air Force Association. He served as both President and Treasurer for a number of years in the Royal Canadian Air Force Association.

      Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Don was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included a letter from the Commanding officer of CFB Cold Lake regarding Dad's exemplary work ethic and knowledge in electronics on an airplane that he had worked on just prior to moving to Nova Scotia

      Don enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations. It was a chance for him to renew and relax, to visit new places and experience new things. Favorite vacations included trips to Fort Frances, Alberta and Newfoundland to see his family - both extended and his children and grandchildren.

      Don was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of his favorites was Brandy, a poodle. They were best friends for 9 years and he nicknamed him "Sonny". Even when Don was in Tendercare Nursing Home, he looked forward to visits from his pup and would ask for him.

       His new life involved relocating to Sault Ste. Marie to be closer to family. Even in retirement, Don continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. Don was active in his new community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Don spent the last two years of his life at Extendicare Tendercare Nursing Home. Although he missed the freedom of his old life, he grew to love the staff at Tendercare who loved him back. There was much laughter when Don would play tricks on the staff or spend evenings watching a hockey game with Wendel, one of the staff. He loved the backyard at Tendercare and helped to plant flowers and vegetables with Esther and the staff. He spent countless hours sitting outside in the sun by himself, with other residents or visitors or with his wife, Esther and daughter, Lisa. His bedroom window's view gave him much joy as he could see the hanging flowers given to him and the birds that came to his feeder. He found much pleasure in the fresh vase of flowers he got a few times a month and was always excited when a new bouquet arrived. While he faced many illnesses including dementia, his spirit remained strong until the last days of his life.

      Don passed away on peacefully on Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 10, 2011 at 1:05 AM at Extendicare Tendercare Nursing Home. Dad had fought a short and brave battle against cancer after successfully beating cancer three times in the past few decades. He is survived by his wife, Esther and his children, Lisa, Barry, Donna and Shelly and his grandchildren. His infant son, Jeffery predeceased him. Services were held at Arthur's Funeral Home on October 14, 2011.

      Simply stated, Don was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and giving person (even though at times he could be 'crusty') and was someone who was a vital part of his family and friends' lives. Don will also be remembered for his smile and his wonderful sense of humour. Don leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Donald Ian Dodd.

EULOGY FOR MY DAD

My Dad was a man who never let hurdles get in the way of living his life to the fullest. Presented with any challenge, be it fixing complicated electronics on a military jet or surviving three different types of cancer, he persevered. He either saved the day or beat the cancer – he was a champion! I admired this in him and it remained with him to his last breath. He was determined to beat this fourth bout with cancer. In fact, a week before he died, he told me that Uncle Tommy and some other family members had come by to visit him. He looked at me and said, “"I have all these people coming to see me - it's like they all think I am dying!”

My Dad was also a very friendly and sociable man who was loved by many people – be it Crazy Ernie at the local corner store, a neighbor, those he worked with, his friends and the staff and residents of Tendercare. When he retired from the military after 31 years of service, he found the perfect job for his outgoing personality – as a driver for the Holiday Inn Van. He would bring home a pocket load of tips from his happy passengers because of his innate ability to connect with people. I never realized then how outgoing and friendly Dad was because I knew he could be cranky at times. But I got to know a few of the employees at the Holiday Inn who shared with me their admiration of Dad. For years after Dad left, they would ask me about him and share stories about his time there.

Dad's greatest gift of all was to his Grandchildren – all 13 of them spread across the West to the East Coast of Canada. He loved his grandchildren unconditionally and was extremely proud of them. One only need look at the photos displayed today or to talk to one of the grandchildren to know how deeply the love was between them. He did things with them he had not done with his own children and was at his Grandchildren's beck and call – be it a trip to the doctor because they were sick, a ride to the airport or a late night pickup from somewhere. He didn't miss a graduation, a birthday party, a Christmas or a celebration of any kind because he was making up for what he missed with his own children. He took life's second chance. He embraced it and did it well! I am forever grateful and honored that my Dad cared so much about his grandkids. Even in the last few days of his life, when his pain was excruciating, he surprised me by asking how his grandchildren were doing. I had just finished talking about his second oldest grandchild, Sarah, when he closed his eyes to sleep, but I like to think that he heard me tell him about each one of his grandchildren.

One of Dad's greatest gifts was his sense of humor. It was so wonderful to read the different tributes and condolences that spoke of Dad's gift of making people laugh. When we were kids and even as adults, we loved it when Dad teased Mom about getting dressed up for a special function. None of us will ever forget how hilarious Dad looked when he came downstairs with a huge smile and was decked in his ugly orange plaid pants, a checkered orange shirt and a fluorescent orange, yellow and green tie! Mom always sent him back up the stairs, but not without laughing too. His humour was also well known at Tendercare Nursing Home. We have been told by the staff that Dad had frequently had residents and staff all laughing at his antics in the dining room! When I visited him at the nursing home after he first moved in, we made up a song called, “Oh Tendercare” to the tune of “Oh Christmas Tree” which he loved to sing loudly. I might add that the verses he made are not permissible in such a setting, but the staff and residents loved it and they would encourage him to sing and laugh along with them. Dad even made fun of his dementia, a word that he hated but managed to use to get the best of others. On more then a few occasions, my Mom and I would forget something and Dad would of course remember it, then then say to us, “I thought I was the one with dementia”. Dad was cracking jokes up until the last week of his life, as he always wanted to have a good time and make people smile. A few days before he died, one of the former staff members at the home, Wendell, who Dad had grown to love, had come in to say hello to Dad. He began to reminisce with Dad about how they used to love watching hockey games together late at night and he told Dad they would have to get together soon for some hockey and beer. To all of our amazement, as Wendell left, Dad tried to follow him by trying to get up from the bed. If we hadn't held him down, he'd probably have found his way to the parking lot and gone off to watch that hockey game!

Many people would be surprised to know how compassionate and kind my Dad was to many people. Most of us know of his tough outer shell and bravado but he had a kind soft side that I saw when he lived the last years of his life at Tendercare. While there was impatience and anger, I also saw tenderness and compassion as he talked softly and gently to those who were sick or confused, or held someone's hand if they needed it. What I witnessed on many occasions brought tears to my eyes because I had never seen such tenderness from him. He was, beneath it all, a man of love. On his last day of consciousness, his very last words were of his love for his wife and his children. It was a heartfelt goodbye that will remain with us forever.

I told my Dad just before he died that he was the strongest man I have ever known. Despite all of his struggles, all of his pain, he never ever gave up. He may have taken a break, but then he would catch a second wind and he would come back and keep on trying. Part of me even believed in his invincibility – that is until October 10th, 2011. We will miss you very much. May you rest in peace my beloved Daddy

Lisa Kisch

EULOGY FOR OUR GRANDFATHER

Spoken by Sarah, but written by Amanda, Sarah, Julie and Emily (and a mystery ghost writer). The girls all stood together as Sarah read the following:

As we sat down to write this, it became clear that the pressure of trying to sum up the life of a man we loved was immense. We coped by telling jokes, making fun of each other and breaking out in laughter.

Grandpa would have approved.Depending on who you ask, Donald Dodd was a patriot, a man of great pride, or – to some – a grumpy old man. But we knew him better.

To us, grandpa was a man who was always took the time to make us feel special. Whether it was a shopping trip across the river, stuffing us with candy from his many candy dishes or visiting us at Pancake Bay, grandpa's love for us was strong and unconditional.

Sometimes that love showed itself in subtle ways, like a smile or a wink. But we always knew it was there. He would never admit it, but the man who served his country with strength and pride for three decades allowed himself to be vulnerable around us. He tended to his grandkids with the same patience and care that he showed his beloved hanging baskets.

Beyond just being our grandpa, he was our friend. He made us laugh like no one else and teased us endlessly. We all remember sitting around with him – even as his cancer grew worse – cracking jokes or poking fun at each other. His humour was legendary and his mischievous spirit kept him young.

He never complained about having cancer and never let it change the man he was. In the end, the disease may have taken his life – but it never got the best of him.

That's how we remember our grandpa. He probably wouldn't like all the fuss that's being made about him today. He'd probably have some wisecrack. But we hope that, if he could see us standing here together, he'd know that we loved him as much as he loved us.

* * * * * * * * * *

DODD, Donald Ian – Peacefully surrounded by family on Monday, October 10, 2011 in his 77th year. Beloved husband of Esther for 54 years. Loving father of the late Jeffery, Lisa Kisch (John Lee), Barry (Christine), Donna Dodd-MacDonald (Allan) and Shelly Cardoso (Joe). Cherished grandpa of Amanda, Sarah, Julie and Emily Kisch; Ryan Campbell; Melissa, Timothy, Brian and Codey Dodd; Colin and Stephen MacDonald and Jeffery and Andrea Cardoso. Dear brother of the late Shirley Belkosky (Raymond), Diana Findlay (Wilfred), Alan Dodd (Maureen) and Linda McLeish (Richard). Brother-in-law of the late Stanley Jeffery, Arleen Steinke (Jack) and the late Roberta Jeffery. Best friend of the late Ernie Delaney (wife Phyllis). Donald was in the Royal Canadian Airforce for 31 years from 1954 until 1985. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Friday, October 14, 2011 from 1 pm until time of the funeral service in the chapel at 3 pm. Rev. Francis Ezenezi officiating. Memorial contributions to the SAH Cancer Care Fund, the Alzheimer Society or the Tendercare Nursing Home Residents Council would be appreciated.

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them.