Saturday, September 26, 2020
I got to know Don quite well over the past 12 years, working along with him on the board of the Humanist Association of London and Area (HALA). He was the president of the organization when I joined, and a few years later I took on that role and he continued on the board as past president. I have many good memories of those lively monthly meetings with Don and the other board members. Our deliberations concerning the mundane business of the club – meetings, speakers, activities, finances – frequently veered off into heady and wide-ranging discussions about philosophy, science, religion, and politics. As I took on the role of president, Don and I would often continue our discussions on the phone between meetings, and I greatly valued his wise advice and supportive and encouraging mentorship.
Don was also the founder and editor-in-chief of our mini-journal, “The Enlightenment,” which was originally planned as a quarterly publication, but gradually moved to monthly issues as Don pumped out a seemingly endless stream of articles and book reviews on a wide range of topics. He was a voracious reader with eclectic interests, and every issue was packed with enlightening and thought-provoking information. Don was certainly a mainstay of the organization and he enriched us all with his leadership, writing, presentations, and friendship.
Although I have many good memories of times spent with Don, I think the one I’ll treasure most was walking with him and another friend on the paved trail along the south branch of the Thames River in London (suitably socially distanced for the pandemic) just two weeks before he died. It was a beautiful, warm September day. Don slowly pushed his walker amid the rustling trees and singing birds, as the conversation progressed from memories of his career with a chemical company producing nitrogen-based fertilizers, to the future of agriculture in a world of overpopulation and global warming, to the nature of the universe, and the meaning of life. For me, that last hour with Don, his body weakened but his mind as sharp and agile as ever, captures the essence of the person I had the honour of getting to know as a friend.
~ Rod Martin
