Nick and Shirley Doran, Christmas, 2011
Nick Doran was one of the kindest, most generous, most gentlemanly and most humble people I have ever met. And it is with a heavy heart that I’m sharing with you these few words about him today.
Nick had been ill and in pain with cancer for some time, and the illness finally took him from us on Thursday, March 23, 2017 when he was in Florida, surrounded by his family.
Here are a few things I know about Nick’s life… He was born in Toronto, and attended the Toronto Islands Public School. He graduated from St. Helen’s Catholic Elementary School, followed by Western Technical School. He then graduated with honours from the Police Sciences program at Humber College, and served as a police officer with the Toronto Police Service for 34 years, rising to the rank of sergeant. Even a brief conversation with Nick about his time on the job and you would know instantly how much he loved it.
Nick has always been involved with his community. For 25 years, he coached ladies’ basketball and he was a past-president of the Ontario Basketball Association. He was also a past president of the Catholic Youth Organization of Metropolitan Toronto.
Nick was a founding member of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada, and a past president of the Toronto Aerospace Museum. He loved to hear and tell stories about aerospace history.
Nick had been ill and in pain with cancer for some time, and the illness finally took him from us on Thursday, March 23, 2017 when he was in Florida, surrounded by his family.
Here are a few things I know about Nick’s life… He was born in Toronto, and attended the Toronto Islands Public School. He graduated from St. Helen’s Catholic Elementary School, followed by Western Technical School. He then graduated with honours from the Police Sciences program at Humber College, and served as a police officer with the Toronto Police Service for 34 years, rising to the rank of sergeant. Even a brief conversation with Nick about his time on the job and you would know instantly how much he loved it.
Nick has always been involved with his community. For 25 years, he coached ladies’ basketball and he was a past-president of the Ontario Basketball Association. He was also a past president of the Catholic Youth Organization of Metropolitan Toronto.
Nick was a founding member of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada, and a past president of the Toronto Aerospace Museum. He loved to hear and tell stories about aerospace history.
Nick in younger days.
I knew Nick best for his volunteer work with the Etobicoke Historical Society. Simply put, he was fascinated by Etobicoke History. He first joined the EHS Board of Directors in May 1997 as editor of our newsletter, The Aldernews. In November 1997 he stepped up to fill the role of president, which he held for five years. He created and launched EHS’s first website in September 1999, and took over as webmaster in 2003, a position he held for 10 years. He served as secretary for 10 years, interim treasurer for two years, and speaker coordinator from 2005 to 2016. On top of all of this, Nick volunteered to set up EHS displays and greet people at countless public events. He welcomed any opportunity to talk about Etobicoke history and was usually the first to volunteer. Nick also found time to serve on the Montgomery’s Inn Community Advisory Panel and was on the board of Montgomery’s Innovators.
Our condolences to Nick’s wife, Shirley, his children and his many grandchildren for their loss. At Nick’s request, there was no public service or funeral, and he has been cremated. Instead a private celebration of his life was held by his family. Nick preferred to have people remember him in his best of times. For anyone interested, on June 5, 2017, the regular 9:00 am mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, 3055 Bloor St. W., will be dedicated to Nick.
Nick, the world is a better place for you having been here…
Denise Harris, on behalf of the Board and Membership of the Etobicoke Historical Society.
Our condolences to Nick’s wife, Shirley, his children and his many grandchildren for their loss. At Nick’s request, there was no public service or funeral, and he has been cremated. Instead a private celebration of his life was held by his family. Nick preferred to have people remember him in his best of times. For anyone interested, on June 5, 2017, the regular 9:00 am mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, 3055 Bloor St. W., will be dedicated to Nick.
Nick, the world is a better place for you having been here…
Denise Harris, on behalf of the Board and Membership of the Etobicoke Historical Society.
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