IN MEMORY OF ROD DORAN
 ROD DORAN |
MAY 26, 1927 - JULY 25, 2009
Member of the White Rock Irish Club
Roderick Doran or rather Rod or Roddy to his friends, was a well respected musician, artist, social activist and trade unionist who spent his life fighting for peace and disarmament, the rights of workers and the disenfranchised, often using music and song to spread the message. His quiet demeanor belied his passionate convictions.
Rod was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, his mother being one of the Campbells of Argyle, his father was from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. Rod was brought up Roman Catholic and educated by the nuns but the atrocities of war and the poverty he saw in his travels soon changed him into an anti-war advocate and a socialist.
Rod joined the Merchant Navy and his ship was sent to Dover loaded with fuel to accompany the flotilla to Dunkirk during the Second World War.
In 1959 he came to Canada and before long arrived in B.C. where he remained. He met and married the former Velda Elaine Downton and became step-father to her young son Jim and daughter Athena. They had two sons, Tom and Paul, and eventually his mother, step-father and sister joined him in Canada, completing the family.
Velda was also a social activist. It was the era of anti-Vietnam war protests, civil rights rallies and Pete Seeger was barred from radio and television and Canada. Feelings ran high and together in the Sixties they joined the Communist Party. Rod was a very active member even running for president on several occasions.
Velda was well known for her beautiful voice and they both sang with the Vancouver Russian Choir for over 20 years. Rod was well loved for his Ode to the Haggis and singing the Star of Rabbie Burns, all being duly translated into the Russian language at their annual Burn's supper.
Sadly in the late 1990s Velda developed Alzheimer's and began to slip away from him. When eventually she had to be placed in the Normanna Home in Burnaby, Rod continued to visit and care for her daily. She died on July 31, 2006.
Throughout these trying times Rod found solace in his music and began playing regularly with Harry and friends (The Emerald Green Band) when the White Rock Irish Club started up in the fall of 2000, playing every second Wednesday plus usually one Friday or Saturday night a month.
They also played for the Scottish Country Dance Society in Vancouver, Sullivan Hall, and at Mary Mikkelson's Mind and Matter. He also played at coffee houses, seniors centres, nursing homes, and the Legion. He particularly loved playing the old songs for the elderly.
A memorial service was held on September 13 at the Inn on the Quay in New Westminster. His son Tom, who sometimes played guitar and sang with him at the Elks Hall did a marvellous job of telling the story of his father's life in words and slide show.
Rod would have been very proud of him. Harry and friends played the music for the afternoon. The room was full and there were many speakers with good stories to tell...we'll miss him, he was one of the best.
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