STUART, Donald Frederick “Deric”, age 70, of Kentville, Kings, Nova Scotia, passed away suddenly in Valley Regional Hospital, on Friday, February 2nd, 2007, after fighting a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. He was born in Yonkers, New York, on June 28th, 1936, son of the late Donald Frederick Stuart and Elizabeth Eaton Stuart, formerly of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. At age eleven, he moved with his parents to Wolfville and attended the Wolfville public schools, and later Acadia University, where he received his B.A. and Bachelor of Education degrees. He was the fifth generation to graduate from Acadia, a university which his ancestors had helped to found. Two of his children also graduated from Acadia making them the sixth generation. All four of his grandparents graduated from Acadia in the late 1890’s. Understandably, he grew up in a home where a university education was the norm.
He was very musical, having a beautiful tenor voice and sang in choirs throughout his life. He also taught himself to play the tenor saxaphone, and was a member of a dance band in Wolfville throughout his high school and college years. As a teacher, he had a keen interest in learning first hand about Canada, and its citizens. This he did by teaching in vastly differing geographic areas of the country during the early years of his career. His teaching career began in Lachute, Quebec; he then taught in Lethbridge, Alberta, and then went on to Salmon Arm, British Columbia, but he longed to be back in Nova Scotia when his eldest child entered Junior High School. This brought him and his family to Hantsport and a teaching position in the High School there. His final teaching location was in West Hants Regional High School, Brooklyn, Hants County. He retired after thirty-five years as a highly respected, Mathematics and Political Science teacher. He also loved the outdoors. Not only did he take his own children, hiking, fishing, tenting, cross country skiing, biking and canoeing, but he also introduced many school children to the enjoyment of outdoor activities through weekend camping excursions. He was perhaps, most proud of running, and completing, the Johnny Miles marathon, New Glasgow, in his forties. His grandfather, Dr. Leslie Eaton, had been a medal winning runner while at Acadia, and Deric, dedicated this race to his memory. I believe it was this personal accomplishment which made him the most proud.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Marie (Taylor) Stuart, four sons and one daughter, Donald Frederick Stuart “Rick” (Doreen) and children, Aylsha and, Emily, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Dr. Cameron Lawrence Stuart (Sue Ellen), and their children, Jane and Jordan, Calgary, Alberta; Jeffrey Taylor Stuart (Tracy) Madison, Strathmore, Alberta, Roger Eaton Stuart (Carolle), and their children, Alexandre and Celeste, London, England; and Dr. Alison Elizabeth Stuart, Calgary, Alberta. He is also survived by his sister, Elizabeth “Betsy” Stuart Goodstein (Edward), Grand Pre`; his brother, Stephen Crandall Stuart, Kentville; also important in his life, were his sister-in-law, Carol Taylor Grover (Downey), Avonport; his brother-in-law, J. Scott Morton (Marianne), Bedford. He was a loyal and loving husband, father, teacher, and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and former students.
The family is most grateful to the staff of the Emergency Department and Medical Ward at Valley Regional Hospital, as well as to Drs. Wayne Phillips and Bruce Murphy. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of his life, a memorial service was 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 7th, at Lindsay’s Windsor Funeral Home Chapel, 194 King Street, Windsor. Daryl Langille, Hantsport, was moderator and Cheryl Rutledge, Falmouth, was guest soloist. A private family interment, was at the Centre Falmouth Cemetery, Falmouth. Family flowers only, please! Donations in memory of Deric, were requested to be made as pledges to Alison Stuart’s (Deric’s daughter) Multiple Sclerosis bicycle marathon ride in Airdrie, Alberta, in June by visiting
http://www.mssociety.ca and clicking on ‘Donate Now’. Then choose ‘pledge a cyclist’ and type Alison Stuart into the search, or to the Nova Scotia Multiple Sclerosis Society. To sign the book of condolences, click on obituaries at: www.lindsaysfuneralhome.com
1936 - 2007 (70 years)
Siblings
. Dr. Alison Elizabeth STUART
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