Waller, Donald Harvey, PhD, P.Eng – It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Don “Grampy” with family by his side, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Dad was born in Amherst on October 27, 1930 to Albert and Vivian (Crawford) Waller.
Left behind to cherish his memory are children, Aileen (Bruce Hebb) and Rod; grandchildren, Andrew (Johanna Galipeau) and Sarah (Dylan Sullivan); brother, Jack (Ken); Betty’s aunt, Catherine Hill; and special nieces, Mary and Heather. Dad was predeceased by his parents; his sweetheart, Betty; brother, Doug and his wife Audrey, his sister, Ardith and her husband Jack; his in-laws, Aileen and Raymond Robichaud; his daughter-in-law, Keltie Lewis; his sister-in-law, Margaret; nieces, Janet and Joan; and his best girl, Sophie.
Dad attended Queen Elizabeth High School, Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Technical College (“Tech”, now the Sexton Campus of Dalhousie University). He married the love of his life, Betty (Elizabeth Mullane) in London, England in 1953 while attending Imperial College as an Athlone Fellow. Dad worked for the City of Halifax before starting his teaching career with Queens University and then Tech. In the mid ‘60s Dad moved the family to Marblehead, Mass., for a research fellowship at Harvard. Dad’s career at Dalhousie included teaching, Head of the Civil Engineering Department, and the establishment of the Centre for Water Resources Studies. Dad was well-known in the environmental field, in Canada and internationally. He developed engineering codes across Canada and provincial environmental engineering policies. He served on the Technical Advisory Group for the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality. Dad received many awards throughout his career including the Engineers Nova Scotia first Gold Medal Award for his life of community and public service.
Aside from his family, Dad was dedicated to Foster Parents Plan Canada. He and Mum supported numerous foster children from all over the world for over 60 years, and in 1986 he was elected as the Chair of the Canadian Board of Directors. He and Mum loved to travel, but their favourite place outside of Canada was Bermuda. They enjoyed many trips there with family and friends. Dad’s happy place was the cottage at Spencer’s Point. As children, Rod and Aileen spent time there with grandparents and cousins. When grandchildren (Andrew and Sarah) came along, they became the beneficiaries of trips to the “Point”. After Mum passed away in 1991, Dad lived with Aileen, her husband Bruce and their children Andrew and Sarah. We were blessed to have such a wonderful opportunity to have Dad in our lives. He was the “third leg” in our parenting stool. He was a kind and patient man with a wicked sense of humour.
We’d like to thank the 2nd floor staff of St. Vincent’s Nursing Home for their care and understanding of Dad over the last year and a half.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Arimathea Funeral Cooperative, Upper Musquodoboit. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 18th from 7-8:30 p.m. in St. Andrew’s United Church (Holmes Room), 6036 Coburg Rd. A celebration of Dad’s life will be held in St. Andrew’s United Church on Wednesday, June 19th at 11a.m. with a reception to follow in the church hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Foster Parents Plan Canada, St. Andrew’s United Church, St. Vincent’s Nursing Home or a charity of your choice.
