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Donald G. Duggan, former teacher and librarian at Lively High School, passed away peacefully on February 16th, 2023 at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Norma (Gillies) and six of his seven children: Shawn of North Bay, Tracy of Ottawa, Jason (Michelle) of Naughton, Todd (Renee) of London, Ont., Andrea (Stephen) of Sharbot Lake and Gillian of Richmond Hill. His two granddaughters, Emily Dickinson of Toronto and Holly Dickinson of Halifax and two grandsons, Roan and Martial Bartsch of Sudbury will miss “Bup”. He was predeceased by his oldest daughter, Lisa (2005) and five of his siblings: Frank (Ruth) of Kemptville, Elaine Tiffany (Jack) of Timmins, Sherman (Julia) and Jerry (Marie) both from Callander and Audrey (John Furlong) of Ottawa. Surviving siblings are Lawrence (Verral) of Callander, Marie Lamothe and youngest sister Suniva Gagnon (Gerry) both of North Bay. He was Uncle Donny to 37 nieces and nephews.
Don grew up in Timmins, Ont. He was one of nine children of Sherman F. Duggan and Emilie Von Zuben. He was born in the midst of the Great Depression on Dec. 9, 1928. He graduated high school in Timmins prior to moving to Callander with his family when his father got a job at Northern Railways. After a brief stint in real estate with his brother Sherman, Don attended Normal school in North Bay to earn his teaching degree. He was introduced to Norma at this time by friends on a blind date. Norma was immediately enamored by his blue eyes and long eyelashes. They married in 1956 and spent the next forty-two years raising their growing family in Lively and teaching at the high school, before selling their “Inco house” on Phillip Street. They moved to North Bay to be closer to the family island on Lake Nipissing.
Don’s favourite pastimes were fishing and hunting with his cronies, Roger Dore, Charlie Tuttle, and Tony Plouffe, amongst others. Don was known as “ Bones” to his hunting pals due to his slight physique. Every season presented an outdoor escape for his gang. Ice fishing occurred on Lake Nipissing or Penage in winter, autumn was deer or duck hunting on Manitoulin island and most years he would fly to their moose camp in Northern Ontario. Needless to say, the freezer was often full of moose, deer meat and fish!
Don was a very creative individual. He loved cooking, craft projects and sewing, whether it be with students in the shop at the school, canoe refurbishing, or at home, making deerskin moccasins and mittens or fishing lures. These skills came in handy when the high school was short on Home Economics teachers. Don found himself teaching two of his daughters in this course.
Donald was the school Librarian at LDSS and also taught English. He had a long, healthy life, missing only one day of teaching in his entire career!!? Dad had a knack for the “hook” in a lesson, capturing the attention of his students with his opening. One former student recounted that Mr. Duggan was able to bring a novel to life for him, when for many, English class could be a challenge. Dad had a unique respect for the Indigenous culture and history.
As a young man, he was part of an archeological dig at Saint Marie-Among the Hurons. He connected with the Indigenous community also by bartering for goods, with homemade lures, mittens, moccasins and hunting paraphernalia.
In later years, Donald became an avid bird watcher at the cottage, recording each species he sighted. He enjoyed a rum and seven-up on the deck on a hot afternoon or casting a line for a muskie off the point. Norma and Don spent as much time as possible at the island on Nipissing, known as their ‘camp’, until he was 86, when loading supplies and paddling the canoe across to their island became too difficult.
Don requested that his cremted remains be interred at his cottage, his favourite place on Earth.
Thursday February 16th 2023
Death notice for the town of: Kemptville, Province: Ontario
death notice Donald Gregory Duggan Thursday February 16th 2023
obituaries notice Donald Gregory Duggan Thursday February 16th 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Donald Gregory Duggan Thursday February 16th 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.