Obituary of Ronald E. Doan

Ron was born in Meaford, Ontario January 29, 1934 to Mary and James Morris. Because they were no longer together, Ron was put up for adoption as a baby. He was born into a family that consisted of big brother Les Morris, who is still with us, at 93. Brother Ken Morris was killed in WW11, and Ron was too young to remember him. Big sister Marie loved her baby brother, and was heartbroken when her baby was taken away. Ron was adopted by Earl and Vera Doan about 4 years later and was brought to Toronto where he lived with his parents at Coxwell and Danforth. He went to Danforth Tech, a few streets over, and worked as a kid in the neighbourhood, delivering newspapers and groceries, among other things. Ron raised hell as a teen, from the stories that I heard, with his buddies, the Parlettes, and Grandy boys, Jack Woods, to name a few. He was a volunteer at the YMCA Camp on Lake Simcoe and taught sailing, and there began his love of the water. He built boats on the Lake and amazingly didn't kill himself in some of the shenanigans they got up to on their high powered little skiffs. He went on to volunteer with the Navy reserve, and loved his MG that he bought after apprenticing with IBEW, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, that he began with when he was 16, after graduating. He tracked down his first family when he was 20, and reconnected with his big brother Les, and sister Marie, and they were a part of our lives growing up. Ron met Florette when he went skating, and kept picking up this young girl off the ice, he asked her out. They courted for 2 years, then married soon after she turned 18. He was 25. They'd had Barry 11 months later, and Val followed 18 months later. Greg was next, and finally Kenny. We spent our summers on the houseboat cruising from Frenchman's Bay up the Trent Canal to Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay. After a few years he decided to build a sailboat, and bought a hull and deck from Hughes, and put it together, moved it to our driveway on Aveline Crescent in Scarborough, and Mom and he finished it there. He trucked it down to Florida, came back, loaded his wife, four kids and dog into the Hillman, and off we went for two years of adventure. We sailed to the Bahamas, and lived in West End, Grand Bahama, where us kids went to school. Dad worked in Freeport at the Cement Plant. We cruised on weekends, and lived at Jack Tar Marina and had the run of the resort. It was the best time to be a kid. We sailed back to Lantana, Florida and lived at Merells Marina, and us kids went to school. More adventures were had, and we bought land in Loxahatchee and spent weekends there. This time in our lives shaped who we all are as adults, and his four kids are all sailors. Barry is a Captain with Jazz, Val a Captain of a 74' Cat, Greg is a Plumber with Board of Education, and Kenny is Engineer aboard the new Cat with Val. All boat owners and sailors, who have sailed offshore. We eventually headed back to Scarborough and went back to school and Dad went back to work in the City. The pinnacle of his career was working at Commerce Court, the tallest skyscraper in Toronto at the time. He was the one that got to flip the switch when testing their electrical installations. Dad went skydiving, which ended disasterously, he learned to dive off Tobermory, he went with his buddies ice bike racing, he raced with the Hughes fleet and was one of the founders of Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club. He dragged his family hiking, we camped, and road tripped out to the East Coast in our van, with the 4 kids, and now 2 dogs. He eventually bought his Ranch, Doan's Ridge, in the Okanogan, near Summerland, and lived in Penticton on and off for almost 30 years. He lived on the LaHave in Nova Scotia for a few years, and spent long periods of time in Toronto until finally moving back in 2014. He liked living back in his old neighbourhood, and going to his retirees lunches at the Union Hall once a month. He frequented whatever library he lived near, and loved to walk or ride his bike everywhere. During his time in BC he became Brakeman on the Kettle Valley Railway, and volunteered for years.Their big project that he was so proud of, was dismantling, transporting on 6 flat beds, and reassembling an historic steam engine The Shea, that was put into service as a scenic trip on the railway, through the Kettle Valley. The Garnett Gang, Great Train Robbery was always a highlight. Ron loved going to music festivals, and volunteering at The Brunswick House, in the Southern Cross lounge, and a highlight was having a private concert with Stan Rogers. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels in Toronto. Ron was Santa Claus for many years for his Union Christmas Children's parties. He loved to meet new people, and was way ahead of his time in wanting to save the planet with recycling and composting, before it was something people ever thought about. He loved his kids and we're proud of them all. It was a life well lived. Ron leaves behind 6 Grandchildren Amanda, Ashley, Blake, a Mitchell, Meagan, McKenna, and Great Grandchild Kate. Please share in your memories, photos and condolences for Ron here on his Memorial Webpage. Your participation in building his legacy is appreciated. Ron is in the care of eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc. Life Celebrations. Done Differently.