We are saddened to share that DIF Mackay slipped away from this mortal coil on Monday, February 5, 2024, at Sechelt Hospital on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. His children and grandson were by his side. Donald was predeceased by his father Donald Hugh James, mother Jessie Marguerite and his wife and the great love of his life, Marjorie Anne Mackay (nee MacIntyre) in 2013. He leaves behind and will be dearly missed by his son Andrew, daughter Karen (Adam French), and cherished grandchildren Sarah, Michael, and Daniel. He is also survived by his sister Patricia (Harry Corrigan), nephew Niall Aonghas in Scotland and his many brother and sister in-laws, nieces and nephews in Nova Scotia and Alberta.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Donald spent his early years in Lossiemouth, before emigrating to Vancouver Island, Canada, with his mother and sister in 1956. He enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1956 where he trained as an Air Navigator. His career with the RCAF spanned 38 years. He made many lifelong friendships which enriched his and Marjorie’s lives immeasurably. Highlights of Don’s (nickname Haggis) career included: 1958 - 414 All Weather Fighter Squadron in North Bay, ON; 1962 - Flight Commander 34 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Senneterre, QC; 1963 - NORAD Staff Officer Intelligence, Goose Bay, Labrador; 1964 - 416 All Weather Fighter Squadron RCAF Station Chatham, NB; 1966 - Squadron Leader and Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre, St. John’s , NL; 1973 - United States Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama; 1974 - Commanding Officer, 410 All Weather Fighter Operational Training Squadron, Bagotville, QC (first Navigator to command a fighter squadron in Air Force history); 1976-81 NDHQ in Ottawa; 1982 - student at the National Defence College(NDC) in Kingston ON; 1989 - Deputy Commander Fighter Group, CFB North Bay, ON.
He earned a BA in Economics from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MBA from Auburn University in Alabama. He often said his richest educational experience was the year he spent at NDC in Kingston travelling around the world and making many close and cherished friends.
Don met Marjorie in Goose Bay, Labrador. They were married in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on Halloween, 1964. They thoroughly enjoyed their time traveling and living on various Air Force bases in North America with the RCAF, forging many lifelong and enduring friendships. Don retired from the Air Force in 1994. He and Marjorie moved to Gibsons, BC, in 2000 to be close to their daughter and much adored grandchildren. Grandpa provided unfailing wisdom and guidance throughout their formative years and will be dearly missed.
He will be fondly remembered by all who knew him well for his incredible wit, intelligence, and generous spirit. We are grateful to have had you as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and mentor.
Interment of his ashes next to his beloved Marjorie and a funeral service will be held at the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood on Friday, July 26th, 2024, at 10:30 hrs; followed by a reception from 11am – 1pm.
Digital Guestbook
Al and Susan DeQuetteville
George and Melanie Macdonald
Haggis was an exceptional leader and mentor to many of us. As a young pilot on 410 Squadron, I learned a great deal from him and always treasured our friendship in later years. His legacy lives on through many of us!
George and Melanie Macdonald
Lloyd Campbell
Almost all of us who served in the RCAF during the last 30 years of the past decade have warm thoughts about this wonderful man and his equally charming wife. Haggis was not only highly competent, he had a superb sense of humour that endeared him to all who knew him. Heaven will be a more delightful place, for sure, by his presence but the rest of us will sorely miss him.
Lloyd and Sharron Campbell
Can’t recall where I first met Haggis but a certain kinship was established when I took over 410 Squadron in 1982 which he had commanded a few years earlier. That relationship continued and became critically important in 1995 when I became the last Winnipeg-based Commander Air Command and Haggis (by then retired from full time duty) was the Ottawa-based Special Advisor to the Commander. In this key position he helped guide me from afar through the minefields of the Ottawa bureaucracy, aided immeasurably by his wonderful Scottish humour. Our friendship continued and we stayed in touch after he and Marjorie moved to the Sunshine Coast. Haggis, dear friend, you were one of a kind!
Al and Susan (McBoeing) DeQuetteville