David Graham Donaldson

Graham was born in Craik, Saskatchewan on January 17, 1926, to Robert and Helen Donaldson. He earned the Governor-General’s Academic Medal on his high school graduation, and then a degree in electrical engineering in 1948 from the University of Saskatchewan, becoming a member of the first graduating class for that program.

Graham worked for General Electric in Peterborough, Ontario, and then had a long career at Hydro Ottawa, retiring as Assistant General Manager. A highlight for him was a trip to Hong Kong to participate in a conference on electric cars.

On retirement, Graham and his wife, Bev, divided their time between Ottawa and Florida for many years, until Bev’s death in 2011.

Graham had a lifelong passion for learning, and read scholarly books on science and history for pleasure. He was a self-described “putterer,” who loved the challenge of solving problems, with a genius for building and fixing things.  As a young man, he built a windmill on the family farm, hooking it up to a generator to provide electricity for the kitchen. He could look at an idea and translate it easily into reality, designing and building an outdoor brick barbecue/pizza oven—the scene of many summer parties with family and friends in Ottawa—and keeping his beloved black 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible on the road for over two decades, among dozens of other projects.

Graham fell in love with flying, and built his own Midget Mustang plane at the Ottawa Flying Club, qualifying for his private pilot’s license at the Ottawa Flying Club in 1966.

A keen amateur astronomer and observer of nature, he also enjoyed good company, good food, and a dram of single malt. He stayed active all his life, walking 5k most days into his 90s.

Graham once told daughter Susan he hoped he could die by falling asleep and dreaming he was walking by the river. He died peacefully in hospital on September 3 in Ottawa after a brief illness. May the river have been waiting for him.

He is survived by his daughters, Susan Jessup and Sharon Jessup Joyce (Bob), and grandchildren Justin, Summer, Alysha, Christian, and Michael Nesrallah, Adrian and Olivia Schneider, Jesse Donaldson and Brody Clarke; by his sister Marian Lounsbury (Jim) and nieces and nephews, Charlotte Rivest (Charles), Jim Rands, Frances Miller (Dan), Roberta Fonger (Merv), Barb Muir (Doug), Jane Langlotz (Chris), Kevin Lounsbury (Deb), Heather Stamler (Greg) and Janice Klassen (Laurie), and by great-grandchildren and grandnieces and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Bev Drummond Donaldson, his daughter Shelly Donaldson, and his sisters Jean Rands (the late Jack) and Margaret Beggs (the late Jim), and nephew Ian Rands.

In keeping with his wishes, there will not be a service, but family and friends are invited to take a moment during the night of September 17 to observe the full moon and partial lunar eclipse, and raise a splash of single malt in his honour.

You are welcome to share a memory of Graham here, or by email to sharonjj.hedgehog@gmail.com. A memory book is being created for family and friends.

Memorial donations to the Ottawa Mission, a charity Graham always supported, will be gratefully acknowledged by family.