Don passed away peacefully at Hospice Simcoe in Barrie on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in his 87th year. He was born in Toronto on May 23, 1937, the son of John (Jack) and Bertha (Bea) Fleming. He was the beloved husband of Judy (deceased), loving father of Cynda and Sarah, and father-in-law of Michael Muir and Vince Candelino. He was also the devoted grandfather of James Muir, Lucas Candelino, and Thomas Muir. Don was predeceased by his siblings Joan and Jackie.

Don left us in the middle of a perfect Canadian winter’s night. The air was crisp, and the moon was full; it lit up fields of freshly fallen snow. It was the kind of night that held the promise of perfect ice for a boy with dreams of carving it up to score a game-winning goal.

Throughout his life, Don found joy in motion. His spirit soared when he captured the wind in his sail, pulled at the lake with his paddle, or snapped the perfect pass. Whether he was on water or snow, skis reduced friction and set him free. His love of sports took him to the University of Toronto where he competed in wrestling, football, basketball, and lacrosse while earning his Bachelor of Physical and Health Education. He played hockey for the Varsity Blues and though professional teams had their eyes on him, he had his eyes on the love of his life, a fellow phys. ed. classmate named Judy Mist.

Don and Judy were the embodiment of devotion to one another. They explored the world hand in hand but at the same time delighted in connecting with others. A career in education was a natural fit for both of them. Don taught geography and was Head of Boys’ Phys. Ed. at Richmond Hill High School for over 30 years. He loved sharing his passion for sports with his students. As a coach, he instilled a strong sense of excellence in his players, while upholding a deep commitment to camaraderie and fair play. He shared his enthusiasm for the outdoors with his students by leading annual 100 KM canoe trips to Algonquin Park, and by introducing thousands of students to downhill skiing at Mount St. Louis.

While Don’s life was full of action, ‘Flash Fleming’ also loved to be still behind the lens of a camera, preserving moments into timeless images. He built a darkroom at home and one for the camera club that he founded for his students at RHHS. He was an award-winning photographer and helped to establish the York Regional Camera Club in 1973, which exists to this day as the Richmond Hill Camera Club. Don was always embracing new technology and carried his hobby into the modern age of digital photography.

Music was another deep love of Don’s which he nurtured in his daughters, nieces, nephew, and grandsons. He was a self-taught musician with a lovely singing voice who played anything he could strum. His guitar made an appearance at every family gathering connecting everyone in song. At RHHS, his dedication to inclusivity shone through in his unwavering support of students of all abilities ensuring each one found their voice in the joy of a singalong. He loved attending jam sessions at the Music Shoppe in Thornhill, and up north at the Guitar Picker’s Corner in Ahmic Harbour. Nothing made him happier than attending one of his grandsons’ concerts.

Don and Judy loved to dance, and their love was a dance. They could often be found in the basement practising their Scottish dancing steps for an upcoming ceilidh or ball. Don passed on the joy of square dancing to his students and generations of cottagers and campers on Ahmic Lake. No one could “swing your partner” like Don! We will all miss his guidance next summer when the caller announces the first Allemande Left.

Don was raised in a family that deeply cherished the outdoors. With energy as boundless as the open sky, he was always more at home outside than between four walls. As a young boy, he spent his summers vacationing in the natural playground of beautiful Ahmic Lake. His parents purchased an island on Ahmic in 1952, and the connection to the lake and its people deepened with every sailboat race, square dance, and breathtaking sunset he watched from the balcony of the boathouse he built with his dad. When Don’s own family grew, he bought a cottage on the same lake and passed down the legacy of love for this special place to his daughters and three grandsons. To Don, it was never just a cottage by a lake; it was an extension of his spirit. Wherever he was in the world, his heart was always on Ahmic.

Although the later years were physically hard on Don, he remained a true athlete to the end. He never gave up the fight against a body that absolutely betrayed him. When he could no longer walk outside, he took his walker to the mall. When he could no longer reach down to deliver his lawn bowls, he ordered a special assistive device from Australia so he could keep bowling four times a week. He ended up importing several of these lawn bowling arms so more people could keep playing without barriers. That was Don, always facing each challenge with unwavering grit and determination, and always sharing his passion for sports with others.

Don Fleming will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the countless students he mentored and inspired. He will be remembered by his generous heart, hilarious sense of humour, and joyful zest for life. His strength of spirit lives on in all of us.

The family will receive friends at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre (375 Mount Pleasant Rd., Toronto, ON, M4T 2V8 - Tel: 416-485-5572) on Saturday, March 22nd from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. A service celebrating Don’s life will be held at Leaside United Church (822 Millwood Ave., Toronto, ON, M4G 1W4 - Tel: 416-425-1253) on Sunday, March 23rd at 1:00 pm, with a reception following in the church hall.

A livestream of the service will appear on the YouTube channel of Leaside United Church: https://www.youtube.com/c/LeasideUnitedChurchToronto

Following the service, a separate link to the recorded service will be posted here at a later date.

Those who wish may make memorial donations to the Toronto Botanical Garden in honour of Donald Fleming. Don and Judy loved to visit this special oasis in the city for Scottish dancing evenings, to admire the gardens, and to treat friends to a tea in the café. Once upon a young love, it’s where Don proposed to Judy.