ELLIOT, Donald ‘Don’

1930 – 2025

Dr. Donald (Don) MacGregor Elliot passed away at the Innisfail Health Care Centre, Innisfail, Alberta on the early morning of Tuesday, November 11th, 2025, at the age of 95 years.

Don was born July 30th, 1930, on the family dairy farm in Howick, Quebec (20 miles from Montreal). He was the second son to William Wallace & Christena May Elliot. Being raised on a dairy farm along with his five siblings, he knew hard work in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

Don graduated from Howick High School, working off the farm at various jobs for one year, before attending MacDonald College (part of McGill University) for one year of Agriculture. He then transferred to Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario. In 1955 Don graduated with highest honors and the Founders Gold Medal and Borden Award. Accepting a teaching position with the Dept. of Medicine and Surgery at the University where he taught for one year.

It was then the west was calling Don, and he headed to Alberta in 1956. He began working with a veterinarian in Acme, Alberta for one year before moving to Trochu, Alberta, establishing his own practice and building his own clinic. Practice became very demanding, and he hired another veterinarian and continued to work in Trochu day and night.

Always looking for new challenges, Don rented out his veterinary clinic and moved to Bonanza, Alberta (Peace Country) and homesteaded there. Don purchased a half section of land (no roads; covered with trees) and began carving out a farm on the bushland and doing veterinary work on the side. Clearing the land and picking roots by hand in the summer of 1962. In the spring of 1963, he seeded his first crops. Eventually getting electricity and gravel roads. The land gradually became easier to farm, and Don bought as much as possible, until he was farming 2,000 acres. During these years Don attended Northern Lights College and took a welding course. Don was such an excellent welder, many of the farmers came to him to repair their equipment. He also gave local farmers in various Northern towns practical vet courses during the winter months.

Don earned his pilot’s license in 1969 and owned and flew a total of seven planes over the years. Trading barley and selling a farm truck to purchase his first plane. Don built a landing strip on his farm and did a lot of flying, The last plane he had being a Kitfox he built himself.

In 1974 Don sold his farm and moved to Spruce View, Alberta, purchasing an acreage there.

Don enjoyed developing his acreage, planting over four hundred blue spruce trees, building a shop, collecting and restoring classic cars (his favorites were the 1970 Chevelles), flying planes and traveling. He also volunteered with Big Brothers, Scouts Canada, and the Danish Canadian Museum in Dickson, Alberta, he was also a Lifelong member of the Innisfail Flying Club..

He worked on construction of the Dickson Dam and then moved and lived at Glennifer Lake near Dickson, Alberta. In later years he built two houses in Innisfail and one in Spruce View, as well as renovating two houses.

Finally, moving to Red Deer, Alberta and living there until his recent passing, Don made friends wherever he lived and was a lifelong learner. He loved having a good visit and talking about his interesting life and travels. Living at Legacy Estates for the last eight years, he has made many friends and always enjoyed morning coffee with them.

Don will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Hazel in Ontario, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews in Eastern Canada. Don was predeceased by his parents, brothers, Murray and Ross, and sisters, Marjorie and Kathleen.

Thank you to the nursing and physio staff and physicians at the Innisfail Health Care Centre for your excellent care given to Don in his last days.

If desired, Memorial Donations in Memory of Don can be made to S.T.A.R.S Air Ambulance at www.stars.ca or to the Innisfail Health Care Centre at 5023 – 42 Street, Innisfail, Alberta, T4G 1A9. At Don’s request, a Funeral Service will not be held. Don will be laid to rest alongside his parents at Georgetown Cemetery in Howick, Quebec. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006

• Date : 2025-11-21
• Location : (Innisfail) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com