For the past 30 years, Aurel Dorion lived in Bracebridge, until his death this May at the age of 89.
Even after he moved away, his exploits during his 30 years as a constable with the Innisfil Police Service remained legendary, part of the history and the folklore of the municipality.
This past Sunday, on what would have been his 90th birthday, a celebration of life was held at the Innisfil Lions Hall for Aurel Dorion.
Over 100 people – family members, friends, former colleagues, local politicians – came out to remember his exploits and share the stories.
Dorion was persuaded to join the Innisfil Police in 1959, at the age of 29. Stewart Fisher, later mayor of Innisfil, was police chief at the time – and reportedly offered Dorion the job of constable because, as a bread delivery man, he was familiar with all of the roads and shortcuts in the area.
On several occasions, Dorion’s work made the newspapers.
He played a key role in the arrest of Ken Hunter, who murdered best friend Mark Purcell in Innisfil, back in 1986. Hunter would only speak to Dorion, “the only cop he trusted.” The information provided led to the discovery of Purcell’s body.
And there were reminiscences that were just as legendary, if somewhat less public.
“Aurel was my second dad,” said Doug Lougheed, a former police officer and Innisfil councillor.
Lougheed was 17 years old when his own father died; “Aurel kind of took me under his wing,” he said.
That involved taking an 18-year-old Lougheed along on night patrols: Dorion would wake him by throwing a stone at his window, and they’d go out patrolling the roads. When Dorion was sleepy and wanted a nap, Lougheed would take over at the wheel of the cruiser. A lot of time was spent evading a suspicious supervisor.
“I was a policeman long before I was sworn in,” Lougheed said.
Those were wilder times in an Innisfil Township that extended into territory now part of the City of Barrie.
Lougheed remembered coming upon a bush party, near Ardagh Road.
“There’s a blue and white by the road, and all I hear is tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,” he said.
It was the sound of Dorion loading the trunk of the cruiser with beer bottles.
“Never raid a bush party. Just turn on your lights and your siren and everyone runs away and leaves their beer bottles – and they’re worth five cents apiece,” Lougheed was told.
He eventually married Dorion's daughter, Bernadette.
Bernadette remembers her dad as a big man, with a larger-than-life presence. Even when Dorion was off-duty, he’d be called if there was any trouble at Peggy’s Dance Hall.
“He was the only one who could deal with the bikers, get them to settle down,” she remembered.
Dorion was off duty when he was called to a report of a vehicle that had gone into Lake Simcoe, off Line 13. He and Auxiliary Const. Walter Warnica arrived to find two local men trying to get to the vehicle, which was submerged by the waves and being carried out into deeper water.
Dorion entered the water and managed to pull open the door, rescuing Mrs. Earl Sheppard – semi-conscious, suffering broken ribs and a broken arm, and trapped in an air bubble within the vehicle – bringing her to safety.
“This was mother,” said Eleanor McCue, who spoke at the celebration of life. “His act of heroism entering the cold water of Lake Simcoe that morning saved her life.”
McCue’s mother lived another 10 years, long enough to see all of her children married.
There were police stories, 'Holly Boy' stories, related to early days in the hamlet of Holly, and family stories, as guests took turns coming up to the mic.
As Lougheed noted: “The statute of limitations is well expired, so there’s no repercussions.”
“Aurel was a good guy,” said Vern Ayres. “And unless you did something really bad, he’d tell you ‘Go home and behave’.”
