Don passed away suddenly on May 20, 2019 while in Cuzco, Peru and preparing to hike into Machu Picchu with his wife Deborah Sankey.
For over 32 years Don had been active in Rotary, a world-wide volunteer organization of business and community leaders dedicated to:
- giving back to the local community;
- providing international aid;
- fostering peace; and
- supporting business and the professions.
He was a Past President of the Rotary Club of Vancouver (2002-2003) and had held many different positions with his club. He had been active in Rotary District 5040 with Strategic Planning for numerous clubs and for the District itself. He was also a member of the District Foundation Committee and a Rotary President Elect Training Seminar Trainer. Don was named Rotarian of the Year for District 5040 in 2014 and was District Governor for 2017-18. As such, and as a volunteer, he was responsible for overseeing the operations of 50 Rotary clubs in British Columbia as far-flung as Prince Rupert, the Cariboo, Sunshine Coast, Pemberton and Greater Vancouver; paying at least one personal visit with his wife Deb to each club during the 12 months of his term as District Governor. Don was a Rotary Paul Harris Society Member and a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Both Don and his wife Deb were also Bequest Society Members of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Don was a graduate of Harvard Business School and established DJE Holdings Ltd. in 1998 following his retirement from BC Tel (now Telus) after 31 years with BC Tel in the telecommunications industry. In the past 20 years his work in leadership skills and business strategy had taken him throughout North America, to China, to much of Europe, and to a unique project as part of the peace process in Northern Ireland which involved working with the Police Service on their leadership and conflict resolution skills.
In addition to his involvement in Rotary, Don was a Past Chair of the Board of E-Comm 911 (Emergency Communications for Southwest B.C.), and was also a long time member of the Vancouver Board of Trade. He had a major passion for railways and railway preservation, and was President Emeritus of the West Coast Railway Association and a Director of the Association of Tourist Railways and Railway Museums.
He was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for his active community involvement and was named 2005 Business Person of the Year by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce for his work with the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in that community. Recently, he was awarded the Caring Canadian Award which was presented March 4, 2016 by the Governor General of Canada (photo above).
A resident of North Vancouver, Don was married to wife Deb, has two children from a previous marriage and four grandchildren. He enjoyed classic cars (a one owner 1967 Nova SS!) hiking, photography, cycling and playing piano.
Don will be sorely missed by his family, many friends and business acquaintances and by the many people in the community who were beneficiaries of his volunteer work and the work of the organizations in which he took a leadership role.
Phil Webber, Past President
President (2017/2018)
Rotary Club of Vancouver
