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CATTRAN, Douglas Bryant

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Cattran Doug MM2

(1939-2017) - With great sadness, we announce the peaceful passing of Douglas Bryant Cattran, 78, at Guelph General Hospital, on March 28, 2017, with his family by his side. He succumbed to respiratory complications following emergency surgery. He is predeceased by his parents, Charles and Effie Cattran, and his brother John (Pat). He will be greatly missed by his wife Carolyn, of 54 years and his children, Caroline (Gord), and David (Stacy), and grandchildren, Gillian, Stuart and James, and Alex, Nate and Ava.  He is survived by his brothers Chuck (Lois - deceased), and Dan (Heather) and sisters-in-law Julie and Jeanne. Doug was born in 1939, in Bowmanville, Ontario, and grew up at 50 Centre Street. He often recalled being a part of many sports teams at school, one of the benefits of small town life. He remained a loyal fan to his favourite sports teams throughout his life.

The family has fond memories of spending many an evening at 50 Centre Street. The Cattran boys and their families would gather to talk and sing, which usually evolved into Scottish standards well into the night. Following another family tradition, Doug would write a cryptic treasure hunt in verse every year for his children, one of the highlights of Christmas morning.

He graduated from the University of Toronto, in Chemical Engineering in 1961.  In his last year of university he met Carolyn who was completing her final year of nursing at Women’s College Hospital and they married in May of 1962.  He spent his career with Dow Chemical, first in Sarnia, Ontario and later in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, ending his career there as Vice President and General Manager, Western Canada Operations.  In his time at Dow, Doug was widely admired for his keen analytical mind, but even more for his talent in developing and mentoring his people. Alberta became his beloved adopted province, and he retired in 1996 to Canmore where he enjoyed skiing and golfing in the mountains.  Only family could draw him back to Ontario, where he settled in Guelph several years after his stroke. He loved spending time at the family cottage on Wilcox Lake, which was the centre of many family gatherings for over forty years. In the family’s younger years, each weekend in ski season was spent at the cottage and on the slopes.

Doug’s family wants to express their appreciation to the doctors and nurses in the Guelph General Hospital ICU, for the care and compassion shown during this crisis. In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully accepted by Guelph Stroke Recovery - Guelph Wellington Chapter, Canadian Cancer Society, or Guelph General Hospital Foundation. A Visitation will be held at the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 206 Norfolk St., Guelph on Friday, April 7, 2:00pm-4:00pm.  A private service will be held on Saturday, April 8.

A tree will be planted in memory of Douglas B. Cattran in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest, University of Guelph Arboretum. Dedication service, Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 2:30 pm.



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