My recollections of Donald range from a number of different perspectives: the passionate social and environmental activist; the family man whose love for his spouse, his children, and his grandchildren continues to resonate every time they are in his midst; the intellectual and inquisitive individual who, along with his “other half” (Genevieve), hosted a wide range of BidNite fundraiser events at their home on Argyle Street over of number of years; the hiker and lover of nature who participated in many an outing with UCMers, especially to the Adirondacks; the good humanitarian who, time and again, opened up their home to those in need of refuge, homestay, security, and support; and finally, the selfless individual whose financial commitment to the Unitarian Church of Montreal over the past several years has helped to keep our community vibrant and relevant.
Donald will be remembered for his wonderful approach and attitude towards life. Anyone who has had the privilege of knowing and working with him would pronounce the same words: gentle, kind, humorous, engaged, selfless, gracious, and big-hearted. Just recently on Sunday, October 16th, I experienced a special moment with Donald as he sat in his wheelchair in the Sanctuary following the service. He greeted me with a huge smile of acknowledgement as I bent over to give him a “bisous”. It made my day.