Douglas Graham McKenzie

It is with the heaviest of hearts that the family of Douglas Graham McKenzie announces his peaceful passing at home on January 29th after a fight with Cancer at the age of 72. Douglas will be profoundly missed by his wife of 50 years, Deborah; his children, Jeffrey and Ryan (Rachel); his Grandchildren, Colin, Nolan and Liam; his sister Patricia (Rick), his brother Louis (Anne); his sister-in-law Judy (Paul), and his brother-in-law Roger (Cathy), all his nieces and nephews and all who lovingly called him Uncle D.  Doug was predeceased by his parents, Roy and Florence, and his brothers, David and Brian.

Doug was born in Grimsby, ON, and moved to Gowganda, ON, as a young boy, where his family purchased and operated a hunting and fishing camp.  His love for the outdoors was sparked there, and many of the stories he told throughout the years originated from his fond memories of that time.  In his adolescence, his family moved to Barrie, where he spent the remainder of his life.

At 16, Doug met Debbie, and their adventurous, enduring and beautiful love story began.  Doug was an extremely skilled carpenter and cabinet maker.  An artist, he spent his career creating and building beautiful furniture, high-end loudspeakers, both of his family homes, and exquisite kitchen cabinets for his clients, family, and friends.  Later in life, when he wasn’t in the shop, Doug could be found on his motorcycle with his wife Debbie, exploring the country or camping across Canada and the United States.  His favourites being the east coast of Canada, and the windy roads of Utah.

Doug was also a very talented drummer and played in several local bands.  He fulfilled his early dream of making music with his boys.  His most treasured time was spent jamming with his sons and close friends in their family band.  His sons, close friends, and all the other musicians who had the opportunity to play with him over the years will certainly smile when they remember playing music with Doug.

His love of camping, fishing, motorcycle riding, travelling, woodworking, sports (hockey was his favourite), listening to music, and playing the drums gave him and his loved ones he enjoyed it with immense joy!  Doug never ran out of conversation topics when spending time with his countless friends, relatives and complete strangers.  He made everyone he spoke with feel seen and known with every interaction.  He cherished his friends and always made a point to call or drop in on each and every one of them from time to time.

Those blessed to have known Doug were always warmed by his presence, and he profoundly impacted everyone in his life.  Words cannot convey how special, and just what a great guy Doug was.  He will be forever loved and missed here on earth every day until we meet again.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Doug’s honour to the Canadian Cancer Society www.cancer.ca would be greatly appreciated.