Born: January 23, 1932 in Kitchener, ON
Died: January 27, 2012
Buried: At sea, May 6, 2012, from HMCS Sackville, 44 degrees 36.51'N, 063 degrees 33.40' W
School Attended: Tavistock Continuation School, Grade 10
After School: Farmhand at R.R. #3, Shakespeare, ON
Enlisted: March 12, 1951
Trained: Kootenay BC Training Center, RCN Electronics Gr 12 1 & 2
Served on: HMCS La Hulloise, HMCS Magnificent, HMCS Mic Mac
Discharged: March 13, 1956
After the War: worked for Truck Engineering (KIng): opened his own business - KIrby & Dopp TV: then KD TV
Comments: Don was a foster child of Joe and Mary Dietrich, RR # 3 Shakespeare, ON. Don was married twice, #1 Francis (Burgess) Steels. He adopted her three children. One child was Julie Leigh Hawkins. # 2 Gwen (Todd) Ross. She was a WREN - W5341. His son Tony served 20 years in the 2nd RCRS as a Corporal in the Artillery. Don was a Scuba Diver with the Woodstock Club. He helped in the beginning of the Oxford County Naval Veterans Club. He was a lifetime member. A member of the Cambridge Legion and Poppy Chairman. Don died form Pulmonary Fibroses. He was exposed to asbestos on the ships he served. Veteran Affairs teated Don very well.

** more information available in hard copy form at the museum / archives