Former Orillia mayor Dave Macdonald, a devoted church-goer and tireless volunteer who was known as a “gentlemen’s gentleman,” died peacefully earlier this week.
He was 91.
The soft-spoken Scot was a man of principles not known to take chances. But he took two that paid off handsomely.
The first was asking a young lass named Helen to a dance after the two met at Davenport United Church in Toronto. The couple celebrated 66 years of marriage earlier this year.
The other risky move came a little later, in 1960. That’s when the dynamic duo decided to sell their home in Leaside and move to Orillia to start a business.
“Our friends thought we were out of our minds,” Helen recalled this week with a chuckle.
Helen said her husband wanted to start his own business – a proposition that was too costly to ponder in Toronto. They considered Peterborough, Lindsay and Orillia.
Armed with a dream and lots of ambition, Dave travelled to Orillia and showed up at the Orillia Chamber of Commerce. There, it was suggested he go see Jack Andre, who was involved in the construction of a new Royal Bank on “the main drag.”
“Jack told Dave if he wanted to wire homes to stay where he was,” said Helen. “But if he wanted to do commercial work, they could use him.”
A few weeks later, the couple and their two young boys, Stuart and Ian, landed in Orillia and rented a house on Neywash Street. Soon after, Macdonald Electric was born. In later years, they opened a lighting store on Laclie Street.
And while Macdonald was a respected, successful electrician and entrepreneur, he also had a deeply held desire to make his new home community a better place.
He and Helen were galvanized to action in 1962 when a shakeup of school boundaries meant many kids – including theirs – would be moved from an overcrowded school in Cumberland Beach into a “city school.”
They did not like the idea. They canvassed their neighbours and took their concerns to the school board “who treated us like dirt,” recalled Helen.
Undaunted, they continued to lobby and earnestly attended every school board meeting. A year later, two board officials suggested one of them should run to become a trustee. Dave heeded the call.
“He almost topped the polls when he ran,” Helen recalled with pride.
However, when the board became a regional entity, Macdonald was not successful in his re-election. At that time, friends urged him to run for city council.
“I suggested he run for the (Orillia Water Light and Power Commission),” said Helen.
Once again, he won favour with voters, served for five years and was chosen by his peers as chairman.
Finally, he decided to run for city council and won. After learning the ropes, he opted to run for mayor – and won again. He was elected to two one-year terms and a two-year term, serving as the city’s top elected official from 1979 to 1982, before losing the next mayoralty race to Pat McIsaac.
Years later, when Clayt French became mayor, Macdonald returned to city hall and served multiple terms as a councillor.
“It's a big loss to the community and he’s going to be missed by a lot of people,” said Ralph Cipolla, who served on council with Macdonald in the late 1970s. “He was a gentleman, he really was. I never heard a bad thing come out of his mouth.”
That was a sentiment shared by all who knew him. He was a man of few words, who was rarely incited to anger, but that doesn’t mean he was a pushover.
“The main thing about Dave is he had very high values and he would not waver from them,” said longtime friend and fellow Scotsman, Jim Campbell. “When he was mayor or on different committees, he would often come up against issues that would test his resolve with regard to his standards. He said it was quite challenging, but he would not compromise himself … it’s called integrity.”
Not long ago, Campbell and his comrade, Allan French, were chatting over a beer. They decided to each independently make a list of those they considered to be “true gentlemen” in Orillia.
The next time they met, they were to compare notes.
“The two of us only came up with one name and it was Dave,” said Campbell. “He was a true gentleman.”
When Campbell and his family emigrated to Orillia in 1975, they found their way to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. There, in the pew in front of him, sat Dave and Helen Macdonald. They were friends from that moment on.
Campbell said many will remember Macdonald for his political legacy. Campbell recognizes that legacy but will remember Macdonald as a family man, friend to all and a person who loved to be around people. He had a profound impact on Campbell’s two sons.
“He had a tremendous influence on my boys,” said Campbell. “Just quiet guidance, not pushy … but I really respect him for the way he gave little bits of advice here and there. That type of help is invaluable.”
He provided invaluable help to the local Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 34) and the Scottish Festival for decades, said Chuck Penny, a past president of the branch and fellow ardent supporter of the Scottish Festival.
“He was actively involved and a great supporter,” said Penny, who recalled Macdonald’s tenure as the event’s parade marshal. “He had a crew of people that worked with him. When he finally gave that up, they did, too.”
Macdonald also donated his electrical expertise to the event. Penny recalls the time Macdonald and his crew set up in Penny’s driveway to assemble new cords and plugs for the festival.
“We always had a lot of fun and Dave was always there lending a hand in whatever way he could,” said Penny. “He was a real quiet gentleman. He was always pleasant.”
Penny often sat at the same table with Macdonald at regular meetings of the Champlain Seniors Club (formerly Golden K).
“He was a great storyteller,” said Penny.
It was Macdonald who recommended Fayne Bullen be accepted as a member of that seniors club. The two also served together for multiple council terms.
“He told me I better behave because he recommended me,” Bullen recalled with a laugh this week. “Dave was always kind to me.”
And he cared about the community, said Bullen. “He served Orillia well and gave it everything he had to make it better. And he did that.”
Through it all, notes his wife, he kept true to his values.
“Dave was as honest as they come. He wouldn’t take a dime that wasn’t his,” said Helen. “And he treated the city’s money the same way.”
He was also her other half.
“He was a wonderful husband and very caring,” she said. “We had a fascinating life together.”
And while saddened by his death, she is thankful for the time they shared. She noted he was able to attend church a few weeks ago and went to the dining room at the Atrium where they have lived for 15 months for meals as recently as a few weeks ago.
“Dave lived a good life. He was 91 ... and he was ready to go.”
The family will receive friends at Carson Funeral Homes (Doolittle Chapel) at 54 Coldwater St. E. on Aug. 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. A celebration of life will take place at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Aug. 17 at 11 a.m.
