OBITUARY
Donald Andrew Sibbald
April 24, 1951 – January 8, 2021
Donald Andrew Sibbald passed away at home on January 8, 2021, at 69 years of age.
Don was born to Anne and Cal Sibbald in Toronto, ON on April 24, 1951, growing up spending his summers on Lake Simcoe at the family cottage. After receiving his law degree from the University of Western Ontario, he moved with his wife Barb to Calgary, AB where they settled and started a family. A well-respected member of the Calgary legal community, Don was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2010. He also contributed to the community through his volunteer work with the Calgary Food Bank, the Red Cross and Meals on Wheels and through his part-time teaching at SAIT. While taking great pride in his work, Don was happiest when surrounded by his family and friends and loved spending time at the cottage at Pine Lake, AB, waterskiing, boating, and sharing meals and laughs with loved ones, especially sitting on the deck with a drink in hand. Don’s love, support, and the obvious joy and pride he took in his wife and son knew no bounds and his kindness, generosity, and laugh will be remembered fondly.
Don is lovingly remembered by his wife Barbara Sibbald; son Christopher Sibbald (Angela Reid); sister Joy Railton (John Railton); his nieces and nephews, extended family, and the Pine Lake crew.
“… I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray, I hear it in the deep heart’s core.” The Lake Isle of Innisfree W.B. Yeats
If friends so desire and in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made directly to The Heart and Stroke Foundation at https://www.heartandstroke.ca.
Due to current public health orders, a celebration of Don’s life will take place once it is safe for his family and his friends to gather again.
DONATIONS
- Heart and Stroke Foundation
Services
No public services are scheduled at this time. Receive a notification when services are updated.
Memories
Donald Andrew Sibbald
have a memory or condolence to add?
ADD A MEMORYDeena Rasky and Norm Greer
January 21, 2021
To Barb SIBBALD and family plus sister Joy Railton and family.
We’re saddened by the loss of Don but glad we have fond memories. What a decent man! It was such a treat to have dinner with you at your home when we were in Calgary for Bryan Railton’s wedding. We had much in common and instantly bonded. Then every year he (and Barb) sent us newsy Christmas cards. His love of language enabled him to summarize the year in just a few sentences. Such an honour to be friends as well as relatives. His memories live on...
Grant Buchan-Terrell
January 19, 2021
Barb, Nancy and I were so very sad to hear of Don’s untimely passing. It’s been decades since we last saw Don, but the memories are fresh because Don was one of a kind. A prince of a guy, a mensch, just a great guy we were lucky to know a little bit. Our sincere condolences to you Barb, and your family. Nancy & Grant B-T
Rodney Fong
January 13, 2021
I had the privilege of working with Don and learned a great deal from him as a colleague and a friend. Professional, pragmatic and principled, he was a man of integrity. My deepest condolences to Don’s family on his recent passing.
M Jane Rotnem
January 13, 2021
It was with great sadness that I read of Don's passing. I knew him on "the other side" of legal files, and as an independent, objective mediator, always fair, and always with a sense of humor. My sincere sympathy to his family. May the memories of all the good times you had with him bring you solace. Sincerely, Jane Rotnem
Marilynn Sander
January 13, 2021
SAIT's ALIVE (The Association of Retired and Former employees of SAIT and their spouses) extend their deepest sympathy.
Jodi Keil
January 13, 2021
I had the privilege of working with Don at the Land Compensation Board. I enjoyed working with him. He provided me with much appreciated guidance and mentorship. He often spoke of his son with pride, and frequently talked about spending time with his family and friends at the lake.
My sincere condolences to your family at this time.
Ruth Kohut
January 12, 2021
Dear Barb and Christopher,
In the handful of times I interacted with your husband/father, I always felt his warm presence and compassion. He contributed so much to who you both are today.
I hope you can garner the strength through this very sad time.
Big sis: you have been here for me so many times. I wish I could be right there with you right now.
My sincere condolences.
With all my thoughts and prayers, Ruth Kohut
Lynn Cabral
January 12, 2021
A bright light has been dimmed with Don's passing, but his memory will shine for eternity. Don was a wonderful family man, friend and neighbor. Our fondest memories are from Pine Lake. Curling on the lake on Boxing Day. Family curling tournament every February, and bringing in the New Year together while we all gathered down by the lake front. We are thinking of you all. You are in our hearts and our prayers. The Cabral Family
David Loukidelis
January 12, 2021
I extend deepest sympathies to the whole family on Don's passing.
I was fortunate enough to work with him on the Law Enforcement Review Board a few years back. He was always a pleasure to work with and I very much appreciated everything he brought to our work.
Please accept my sincere condolences on his untimely passing.
David Loukidelis
Susan Crawford
January 12, 2021
Sending big gentle hugs to you, Barb, and Chris and Angela, and thinking of all of you at this sad time! Our deepest sympathies!
Susan, Glenn and Heffy
Jim White
January 11, 2021
IT WAS A HELLUVA RUN
PIGS
Debbie Scheuchner
January 11, 2021
Barb, I am so sorry to hear of your loss.
My sympathy, thoughts, and prayers are with you, Christopher, and all your family.
Debbie
Janet Russell
January 11, 2021
My sympathies to Barb and Chris and his other family. I knew Don through work and always enjoyed being on a file with him or running into him at any legal events (and years ago on the children's soccer fields). We obtained our QCs at the same time. His humour and common sense was always appreciated. How sad to be limited in your loss by the restrictions we are facing now.
Janet Russell, Calgary
Kathy Bowser
January 11, 2021
I am deeply saddened to hear of your loss Barb. Please know that my heartfelt sympathies are with you and Christopher and the rest of your family.
May your memories of Don give all of you strength, peace and comfort during this difficult time.
My warmest Condolences,
Kathy
Jeanie Tummon
January 11, 2021
Thinking of times long ago, games of hide and seek and tag as long as we could manage it, until "...the streets lights came on." Also the joys of cottaging.
One of the best moments in this young girl's life was Donald coming to our door in a gorilla suit. Not sure if it was Halloween or not. Didn't matter. My hero.
with much love
Jeanie
Aian Macleod
January 11, 2021
Our sympathy to Barb and Chris. Don loved life almost as much as his family. He was a good friend and had his priorities clear and,in my view, correct. He was a principled man but that didn't prevent him from having a good time and he had a great sense of humour( not to mention that signature laugh). We will miss him.
Alan Macleod
Jennifer Bains (nee Hobbs)
January 11, 2021
I am very saddened to hear this news. Don was a great lawyer, kind man and a fun human being. I had the pleasure of working with Don for 5 years at Macleod Dixon and occasionally bumping into him at Pine Lake. Always invited me over for a drink even though I was 30 yrs his junior and an assistant...he liked to make me laugh and I know he was entertained by my antics and jokes. 20 ish years ago I took a cutting from a plant in his office that is THRIVING in my house. It will be a lasting reminder of Don. I look forward to the day when we can celebrate his life together, but for now, I will hold him warmly in my thoughts and his family in my heart for healing.
Bob Gray
January 11, 2021
This really sad and unexpected news is arriving about 20 years too soon. Don was one of my very best buddies during the formative years at junior high and high school in Willowdale. We shared some great adventures together, and managed to stay in touch over the years.
Later, during the summers, we would often pack up our young family for a camping road trip to experience some of the different parts of Canada. When we headed west we made sure that it included a visit with the Sibbalds. It obviously had an impact on them, as all three kids ended up working for several years in Alberta after graduating, although they all have now migrated home again to the Owen Sound area.
We always enjoyed our visits with Don and Barb, and Chris when he was there, whether at their home in Calgary, at the cottage at Pine Lake, or at our farm on the Bruce Peninsula here in Ontario. Great times water skiing, reminiscing, and walking in beautiful landscapes. The entire Sibbald family (including their dog Fenton) put up our son Owen at their home in Calgary for several months while he was recovering from a broken leg suffered during a rock climbing accident in the mountains. They welcomed him like a member of their own family. That is the type of kind and loving people that they are. Don even conscripted his brother-in-law John to line up an interview for Owen with a consulting firm in Calgary and he was able to work as an environmental engineer for several years after that until he decided to change careers.
My last visit with Don was via telephone on New Years Eve. He was really looking forward to 2021, especially for an extended visit with Chris and Angela in British Columbia beginning in March. Even though his shoulder was recovering well from surgery, he agreed that his water skiing days were now behind him.
Don was a great guy and his love for life and infectious laugh will always be remembered. My sincere condolences.
Margaret Ovenden
January 11, 2021
Barb, I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your husband. You are in my thoughts during this sad time. Margaret
Karen Chown
January 11, 2021
I was saddened to learn of the tragic news of Don’s recent death. I worked with Don for many years at Macleod Dixon. He was such a special guy — always calm, with a kind word, a twinkle in his eye and able to put things into perspective. Just thinking of him makes me smile. He treated people well, regardless of their role at the office — something that should be commonplace, but wasn’t.
Don was comfortable in his own skin and knew what was important in life. He wasn’t afraid to articulate his priorities. When he retired from the firm at what would be considered a young age, he shared with me that he wanted to spend time with the important people in his life —- his family, doing the things he loved.
Don made a big impact on me. He was a highly capable lawyer, but more importantly he was a great person.
To Barb and Christopher and family, please accept my deepest condolences.
Catherine G. Smith-Uffen, MA, JD
January 11, 2021
I was so sorry to hear from saddened highschool friends yesterday about Don's passing. Both at Bayview Junior High and at Earl Haig Secondary School in North York, Ontario, Don was a well-liked, admired, bright, self-motivated and kind athlete. It's so encouraging that the love and support of Barb and his family helped him to sustain a giving and happy life. My sincere condolences.