December 27, 1932 - June 15, 2025
Donald Bruce MacLeod, born December 27, 1932, passed, along with his many stories, peacefully into the next realm on June 15, 2025, exactly five years after his beloved sister, Jean Daly. His brother Neil passed away early in 1988. He left behind his wife of 66 years, Marjorie (Mooney), his two daughters, Beverly Duthie and Heather LeVae, their spouses, children, and grandchildren along with a large extended clan of cousins, nieces, nephews, and many children.
Bruce learned his values growing up in Ottawa. He brought his father, George's, military sternness into his own time in the military where he served in the Canadian Navy, on both coasts. His father's interest in mapping and work as Head Cartographer for Canada pushed Bruce towards both an education and travel. He developed these skills and used them in his teaching career where he influenced and inspired many young minds and a few older ones. We, our family, would like to apologize to the brave young men who tried to date his daughters and were scared away by that sternness.
Bruce learned about community and the value in giving back from his mother, Gladys (Elderkin), who worked directly for one of our Prime Ministers and a Member of Parliament. After retirement she was actively involved volunteering in her community.
Bruce developed his community of friends and colleagues through the many parties and corn roasts hosted with his lovely wife Marj. He built community among his students with events like Front Page Challenge for Students. Within his treasured community of Creston, Bruce was a regular volunteer at the Creston Wildlife Centre, the Legion, and the library.
Bruce and Marj loved to travel and journeyed throughout North America and the South Pacific with many journeys to the small, out of the way, areas, and islands.
In the beautiful Creston Valley Bruce and Marj raised two girls to become strong women. Bev's son, an adventurous military man, George, married a strong and smart military woman, Amber (Blanchet). Their son Logan visits with his GiGi, Bev and her husband, Rob Dodds as often as possible.
Heather met Michael LeVae in Haida Gwaii and held onto the handsome young man. They raised their two children, who became strong independent adults, in his hometown of Mission BC. Gray and his children Keenan, Freya, and Wren along with Gray's partner Autumn (Gabrielli) stop by to visit often. Heather and Mike's daughter, Alex has just graduated university after a year at the University of Essex where she met her wife CharlI (Ramsey).
Bruce and Marj were sad to leave the Creston Valley two years ago to move to a senior's residence in Mission and be closer to family and medical appointments. As he was driving up the pass said "Goodbye Creston Valley, you have been the best place to live." He had loved sitting on his deck in Creston looking up the Valley to the Lake. When his hands got really cold during the last while, and Bev tried to warm them in her always hot hands, she would tell him it was a reminder of dipping his hands into the lake to pull out one of the many large lake trout he caught in Kootenay Lake. We all hope Bruce is enjoying those valley view's again.
May dragonflies make his travels easy and may he rest at peace.
Bruce requested no formal service. To ensure some of those views stay wild we are suggesting, in lieu of flowers, a donation to the Creston Valley Wildlife Centre. https://crestonwildlife.ca/donate/.