Douglas Patterson (1934 – 2024)
By George Gage
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Leander Past President Douglas Albert Patterson on March 29, 2024. Doug was a true son of Hamilton’s north end. He was born on August 18, 1934, in the same modest home on Burlington Street East where he lived until near the end of his life. He first took up rowing in Grade 11 at Central High School under the tutelage of the late George Flannery. After high school he secured employment at the Steel Company of Canada where he worked until his retirement at age 65. Doug started rowing in 1954 in the junior 155 lb crew. In 1956 he sat in the five seat of a crew, coached by Paddy Cline that took gold at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
Doug continued to row competitively until 1962. In the meantime, and afterward, he coached high school crews at Central, Westdale and St. Mary’s.In 1972, when Leander first welcomed women to row at the Club Doug became the first women’s rowing coach for the McMaster Women’s crew and later the first women’s coach for the Leander Boat Club crew – a position that he maintained for many years.
Starting in 1970 and continuing until 2005 Doug sat on the Board of Management. He served as president of the Club for 10 years. During that same time span Doug served on the executive of the Central Ontario Rowing Association and officiated at many CORA regattas in the seventies and eighties. For most of the time from 1970 to 2005 Doug was the main trailer driver. If Leander was competing at the Head of the Charles in Boston or the Head of the Ohio in Pittsburgh – Doug was the guy driving the boats to the regatta venue. After his driving days were over Doug was a reliably constant presence as a supporter at every regatta at which Leander competed and a regular Saturday morning visitor to the Club where he maintained a vital interest in the health and vitality of the Club.
For more than 70 of his 89 years Douglas Albert Patterson was an important and central member of the Leander Boat Club family and a pillar of the rowing community in Ontario. He will be missed.
