It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our father, Donald Michael Leslie Shorting on the 20th of January 2020. Lovingly remembered by Patty (Steven), Allen (Liz), Linda, Donna, Paul (Denice) and grandchildren Elise, Nathan, Beatrice, Tamiya, Hannah, Isabelle, Taylor and Luke. Also remembered with fondness by Carolyn, Lindsay (Chris) and their children Riley and Rachel.
Dad’s life was a life well lived. He was a family physician for 33 years in Victoria. Throughout his life, he volunteered with many community organizations including elementary schools.
“Rest In Peace Dad, you will be missed”
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, Victoria Hospice or BC Cancer Agency.
A private family service was held and can be watched by clicking the image below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
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Victor Cromarty
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Paul Shorting Dad – it’s been a year today since you left us.
Not a day has passed that I think of and miss you!
You were more than a Father to me and I will always
remember our great memories.Love you always – Paul
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Bill and Bev Collin Shorting Family,
Thank you for the Zoom invitation to the Celebration of Don’s life today. It was deeply appreciated.
Paul, your Dad enjoyed sharing stories with us at the beach including the one you shared about his watch. He also shared how Sylvia’s Father, the owner, looked at the kids playing on the beach and asked if they belonged to him and when he said yes he was told to take the For Sale sign down. The owner liked the way you were enjoying the beach and felt you would make good neighbours. We agree you make great neighbours. We will miss your Dad and the stories he shared as well as the plants he would bring to us. Our heartfelt sympathy is with you at this time.
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Robert T Costello To the family of Dr. Don Shorting, we are so sorry for the loss of your father.Don was a very good and long time friend of are family here in Bellingham, my wife and I will miss visiting Don on yearly trip to Victoria. I am sure he is now talking stamps and postcards with my dad Tripo. Take care and God bless
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Bette Anderson My heart goes out to Don’s family at this time of loss. He was the most caring and amazing person who came to visit my husband Jim every week when Jim was very unwell. Don had so many stories to tell and we both looked forward to his visits.
So many hockey trips and so many memories. Don will never be forgotten.
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Ally Jiang I met Don through Postcrossing, it was such a pleasurer to exchange postcards, stamps and letter correspondence with him. He cares about his work and passionate about stamp collecting. After he founds out I like fish photos, he went out his way to find me a astonishing photo fish postcard, it was so precious to me! When I received the letter from Donna, I felt something happened to Don, after I read the letter, I was very sad. Don, I will always remember your friendship and your kindness.
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Regina Dietrich Regina Dietrich
Unfortunately, I only met Don Shorting once during our holiday in Canada
June 2019. I met him at a hotel in Victoria, where he worked as a stamp enthusiast. He talked about his work together with children and young people in the stamp clubs. Don was accommodating in an empathetic way and interested in his fellow human beings. Especially to the young generation he tried to approach with his passion for stamps and to develop their interest in this beautiful hobby. So our grandson Fabian (11 years) also enjoyed a letter from Canada with very nice stamps. I am very grateful for the unfortunately only short correspondence with Don, because he was particularly sympathetic to me because of his diverse interests and as a family man. We are very sad, our thoughts are with Don and his family. My family and I wish you all the strength to get through this difficult time.
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Judi Weston Thank you for letting me know. I’m not the best at expressing feelings. When I received your letter I gulped and said ‘oh no’ before opening envelope. It is with deep sadness hearing about his passing. He was our family physician for many years. Such kindness and devotion to us. When I moved to Fraser Valley in 1989 we exchanged Xmas cards and I continued throughout the years sending stamps. My heart goes out to all of the family. He used to make a point of stopping by for a cup of tea to elderly patients. Who does that now. Such a truly caring wonderful man. You are definitely one in a million and will be sadly missed by all.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
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Hanspeter Zink Dear Shorting family,
I would like to offer the sincere condolences of the “Sammlergemeinschaft Rotthalmuenster e.V.”. We are a collectors society in Lower Bavaria, Germany. We had the pleasure to get acquainted with Don and to host him at our annual fair in February 2018.Until then, we used to have only a few participants from other European countries in those fairs. So I was very astonished when I was contacted by an 82 year old Canadian collector by eMail asking for details to complete his travel arrangements to our fair. At first I thought this is a joke but after one or two mails, I knew that he was serious. Up to that time, I did not know anybody his age who would dare to travel alone to a remote continent, without speaking the language, going to places a bit disconnected from public transporation where he did not know anybody before.
But he had the courage and the passion to realize his plan and we were very grateful to help him by picking him up from the remote train station, organizing a place to stay and so on. I believe he has enjoyed his visit with us and his story has well deserved an article in the local newspaper.
I am aware that Don’s family has lost a great and passionate character and I can only guess how painful his eternal departure must have been for all of them. Our thoughts are with them in these difficult times.Rest In Peace, Don! You have first impressed and then encouraged us. We have included you in our hearts and will always remember you.
Sammlergemeinschaft Rotthalmuenster e.V.
Hanspeter Zink (president)
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Guy SIMON I’m a Postcrosser who often corresponded wih Don to exchange stamps (his last mail was from Febriary 10, 2020).
I was very saddened to receive your letter and I offer my sincere condolences.
I knew Don was ill but he was very discret about it.
I wish you all the courage to get through these difficult times.
With all my friendships from France.Be careful with Covid-19 and stay home !!!
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Ramona McKean I only met Don once, about a year and a half ago, in his capacity as avid stamp person. I had a few thousand old stamps to give away and Don’s name was given to me. What a wonderful experience meeting such a kind-hearted, generous person! I loved his enthusiasm when he told me about going into public schools and turning students on to stamp collecting and helping them form stamp clubs. We talked about the wonderful side benefits of learning geography and history.
Reading the above comments, I can see that Don was a much loved person who touched the hearts of many many people. His wholesome influence will live on. Blessings to all who are grieving his passing and blessings on his beautiful soul.
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Victoria Playmakers Tournament Don was involved for years with the Victoria Playmakers Hockey Tournament. Don was a member of the organizing committee almost from the outset. In addition as you may or may not know, keeping track of money with a gaggle of oldtimers is a daunting task. Don was excellent in this role and reminding us of our fiduciary duties. I received a message from the current Treasurer, Andy which reads:
“Hello Wayne: Thank you for sending along this message. Don helped me transition into being Playmakers’ treasurer and was patient and generous with his time.”His quiet voice and manner, combined with his experience, resulted in action taken by the committee for various alternatives that were presented to us over time.
Don established a strong relationship with the Japanese team that participated in our tournaments (they missed the 2011 Tournament due to the Tsunami in Japan). Don hosted each Japanese team that came to participate in the tournament at his house for an informal get together. He formed a very strong relationship with Mr. Sagiya, the original GM of the Mandai Memorials, which subsequently morphed into the Vanstars.
As a result of this relationship, when the Victoria Oldtimers went to Japan for a hockey trip Mr. Sagiya hosted, Don, Allen, my wife, Jane and I to a wonderful 3-4 days touring historic areas of Japan.
His quiet manner will be missed.
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Brenda & Terry & Young Dr. Don Shorting was a very important person in our lives! He guided us through the birth of our three children, cared for them as they grew…..helped us with aging parents and stood by us as we battled a life threating illness. He was always calm, always kind, always determined to make things better.
He was a skilled surgeon and compassionate doctor. We were so fortunate to have him as our physician! As a mentor and as a friend.
Our world is a better place because of Dr. Don and we are ever so grateful for his involvement in our lives.
With our sincere sympathy.
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Peter Larson I knew Don through the Stamp Club in Victoria and I know he was well respected by all his colleagues in the club. Rest In Peace Don.
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Helena Isherwood My thoughts and prayers are with all the Shorting family at this very difficult time
Hugs for all
Helena Isherwood
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Rick Pilotte I enjoyed’ Don’s company and input in the stamp club. we were working towards doing the school stamp club together and had a call to go into some details, so it’s sad we didn’t get to do this together. I Will miss the fellow.
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Leslie Maynard Sorry to hear of the sudden passing of Don. My condolences. I know Don’s kindness and generosity touched many, and I will miss his love and knowledge of gardening, especially tomatoes and flowers.
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Carole Ireland My condolences for the loss of your Dad. I would see him often at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre when he came in for the stamp club gatherings. We always greeted each other with a hug. Our fathers were at medical school together and were in the same call group of family physicians. I heard your Dad’s name often in our house as I was growing up which was a great connection when I met Linda and Donna at Oak Bay while on the soccer team. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the Celebration. My thoughts are with your family.
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Laura Foxgord I’m very sorry to hear your dad has passed. He was so enthusiastic about everyone playing sports. Even with a busy practice as a physician, he would make time to be outside practicing with everyone. I think there was always a net in the driveway at the Central rd house…. and an array of sports gear around .
You were all fortunate to have parents that were so devoted to family time, nice to have him around for so long, it’s tough to say goodbye to our parents. Although he is gone, you still have wonderful memories of time spent with him.
Laura Foxgord
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Laurie Dr. Shorting was such a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. He was our family’s physician and was very kind to our parents and us over the years. RIP.
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Beverlee Cardle Dear Shorting Family,
I was truly saddened to read of Don’s passing. I had the enormous privilege and pleasure of meeting your Dad and working with him at Sir James Douglas School for many years. As a volunteer, he mentored me, as well as dozens of young children as he shared his love of stamp collecting. I had no idea upon embarking on this little club that I would meet such a selfless, gentle man who gave hundreds of hours to the students as they learned about this great hobby. Mr. Shorting was loved and admired by them all. He taught them that a hobby is something you do for fun, to find that passion in something you enjoy and pursue it. The children were immediately drawn to his calm, gentle and non-judgmental approach and the Stamp Club grew each year. I send my thanks to your family for sharing him with us and my heartfelt condolences for your loss. I considered Don a dear friend through those years we shared together. May he be at peace and may you treasure all your memories.
Bev Cardle
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Paul Wylie Our sincere condolences to all of Dons family and most particularly to our friend and good neighbor, Donna. Know that we are here for you and are so happy that we met your dad and enjoyed his company in our home. Cherish the memories for such a wonderful man and may you all be so blessed at this time.
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Paul McConechy Donald, we have found such love and friendship for your daughter Donna. We wish to let all family our sincere condolences and from our experiences loosing our parents, you find comfort in being together and remembering all the good loving times.
Don and I grew up in Fruitvale together. I just moved to Victoria in April and looked Don up in the phone book. However, I googeled him this evening and found out that he had left us. All I can say is that I am very sad and feel terrible about his passing. He was a true boyhood friend and he will surely be missed not only by myself but the gang he grew up with in Fruitvale. My deepest condolances to the the family. God Bless.