Douglas Harold MacTavish

Douglas Harold MacTavish was born In Lanark Ontario on August 12, 1929, son of Carrie and Hartford MacTavish.

He was the youngest of eight children (late Harry, Laura, George, Kenneth, Kathleen & Floyd) and is survived by his sister Reta Barrie who lives in Winnipeg.

He married Margaret Irene Fleming on August 30th 1952. They just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Doug and Margaret had three children Allan Douglas, David Cameron and Darlene Margaret. There are 4 grand children, Carli MacTavish, Ryan, Shane and Meghan Lever. Doug had two daughters-in-law, Toni and Colette MacTavish and one son-in-law Tim Lever.

Given the number of children both Doug’s (8) and Margaret’s (5) families there are numerous brothers and sisters-in laws, nieces and nephews etc.

In 1941 at the age of 12 Doug and his mother moved to Ophir, Ontario to live with his sister Laura and her husband Herb MacKay and their son Jack.

He attended school in Ophir where he was taught by his sister Laura.

Doug attended Bruce Mines high school (where he met his wife Margaret).

He successfully completed grade 10 before going to work in the bush, followed by a stint driving truck for a construction company.

In 1949 he started what was to be a long career with the Ontario Lands and Forest which most of us recognize today as the Ministry of Natural Resources or MNR. He had a number of different jobs including a scaler at the Mississaugi Gate. He spent some time in Forest Protection and as a Deputy Ranger at Kirkwood near Thessalon until he settled into a position as the first district safety officer working out of the Pim Street Office in Salt Ste Marie.

Doug MacTavish retired in 1984 after 35 years with the Province of Ontario.

Post retirement he formed a consulting company, Sidplan (Safety Instruction and Disaster Planning) and was heavily involved in that effort for 5 years.

There is long list of the organizations and programs he was involved with through his job and as a volunteer before and after retirement

They include:

• St. John’s Ambulance

• He volunteered for 30 years with Red Cross and was President for 2 of those years. He was very active with Sault Ste

Marie Blood Donor clinics. In 1992 he received the commemorative medal for 125th anniversary of the Confederation

of Canada for his volunteer work.

• Scouts Canada

• Sault Christmas Cheer

• And while they may not have know it, his wife, Margaret had him working for the Genealogical Society

• He was a member of Canadian Society of Canadian Engineering

• He was a selfless volunteer.

Other interesting facts about Doug MacTavish

He was a:

• Certified Propane Fitter

• Safe boat instructor

• Driving instructor and examiner for the MNR.

• Graduate of the Oregon Chainsaw school. In spite of that he was never able to train me to sharpen a chainsaw and I

had him sharpen one for me about 7 weeks ago.

• Red Cross First Aid Instructor

• Back Care Instructor

• Audiometric technician

• Judge at the 20th Annual Conference of the International Rescue and First Air Association’s First Aid course

• Safety and chainsaw instruction planner at Sault College

• The State of North Carolina conferred on him the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his disaster relief work in North Carolina

• Doug was awarded the Key to the city of Roanoke, Virginia for disaster relief work in that municipality.

He was awesome in accident simulations, a skill he learned working with the MNR but to his family he was best remembered, for creating the most realistic and gruesome Halloween costumes for his children.

He loved to curl and could hardly wait for winter to get back on the ice.

Doug was also an avid fisherman and hunter.

He enjoyed the outdoors and took every opportunity to load up the trailer and invite friends and family to accompany him and Marg on a camping trip.

Tribute by Darlene Lever (Daughter):

When I was asked whether I wanted to come up here and speak, I immediately said no because I didn’t have my usual two weeks to edit, re-edit and generally stress myself out to find the perfect words. I finally decided that it shouldn’t be difficult to talk about what a great father I had. He was never too busy or tired to take me to the neighborhood rink which was pretty much every night that he wasn’t away on business. He waited patiently by the boards and even though I refused to come home when I should have, he calmly put up with the crying that ensued while my feet thawed out. He never complained, not out loud, anyway, when he spent more time fixing the ski doo he bought us one Christmas than we did riding it and according to the odometer it went to the west coast and back, all in one winter. He didn’t say a word when I put a scratch down the entire length of a brand new car or when I arrived home from the Pee Wee arena without the other car because his brand new snow tires and rims had been stolen off of it. All he did was sigh! He had no problem occupying the passenger seat when I begged to drive on the busy multi-lane freeways throughout New England and my mom white knuckled it in the backseat. Although she always used to threaten us with” Wait until your dad gets home”, we quickly learned which one meant business and so did the grandchildren. To quote my oldest brother; “he was really just a big kid at heart” always ready to take part in any game or activity such as building some sort of tall structure out of blocks that would fall down to him yelling “ Whoop de doo” There was never a dull moment with Grandpa! On one particular outing to the playground, our son Shane slid down into a pile of excrement of dubious origin. When he transferred the smelly 3 year old to my horrified mother to clean up, her only comment was “ Oh, Douglas”! He always had a never ending supply of energy, patience, generosity and willingness to help in every situation even when his enthusiasm occasionally exceeded his capabilities both before and after his memory began to fail. There was one incident with an old chimney, a lot of soot and water but that is a story for another day. The memories that will be most cherished by my family are the summers spent hiking, canoeing and camping on Lake Superior or renting the Bean’s camp on Rock Lake. There are too many adventures to pick from but only a few years ago, I remember pulling myself up over the top of a rock cliff, sweating and gasping for breath only to be greeted by “ What took you so long? It was all over far too soon but like the words from a well know Garth Brook’s song, I could have missed the pain but I’d have had to miss the dance. We will miss you dad, rest in peace.

Shirley MacTavish (Sister-In-Law) was kind enough to share memories of the many times she and her husband Floyd spent with Doug and Margaret when both couples were just starting out.

I AM FREE

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm Free to follow the path God made for me. I took his hand when I heard Him call. I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, to love, to laugh, to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, for I found peace at last, that day. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembering joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, oh yes these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with hearts of sorrow. My wish for you is the hope of tomorrow. My life's been full, I've savored much, good friends, good times, a loved one's touch. Perhaps my time seemed much too brief, don't lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me, God wants me now -- He's set me free.

MACTAVISH, Douglas - Passed away at home on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at the age of 83. Beloved husband of Margaret. Dear father of Allan (Toni) MacTavish, David (Colette) MacTavish and Darlene (Tim) Lever. Grandfather of Carli MacTavish, Ryan, Shane and Meghan Lever. Brother of the late Laura MacKay (late Herb), late Harry, late George (late Elsie), late Floyd (Shirley), late Ken (late Hazel) MacTavish, Reta Barrie (late Jim) and late Kathleen Grigg (late Dougal). Brother-in-law of Jean Kettles (Joe), John Fleming (Leah), Marie McCulligh (late Ron), late William Fleming (Joanne). Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm. Funeral service to follow in the chapel at 1 pm. Rev. Nancy Ferguson officiating. Interment Cloudslee Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.

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MACTAVISH, Douglas - Passed away at home on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at the age of 83. Beloved husband of Margaret. Dear father of Allan (Toni) MacTavish, David (Colette) MacTavish and Darlene (Tim) Lever. Grandfather of Carli MacTavish, Ryan, Shane and Meghan Lever. Brother of the late Laura MacKay (late Herb), late Harry, late George (late Elsie), late Floyd (Shirley), late Ken (late Hazel) MacTavish, Reta Barrie (late Jim) and late Kathleen Grigg (late Dougal). Brother-in-law of Jean Kettles (Joe), John Fleming (Leah), Marie McCulligh (late Ron), late William Fleming (Joanne). Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm. Funeral service to follow in the chapel at 1 pm. Rev. Nancy Ferguson officiating. Interment Cloudslee Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.