Obituary for Duncan Peter Read
Duncan Peter Read
Duncan had a very full and productive life. He was a great story teller of family and historical facts. He
loved the Montreal Canadiens, The Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Blue Jays. He was a member of the
Liberal Party starting in high school until he became a Justice of the Peace and had to be apolitical. Both
of his parents were high school teachers in Kitchener-Waterloo. His mother Gretta Ross Read taught
French and German and his father Frederick Read was a guidance counsellor at Eastwood Collegiate. He,
his sister and brother listened to them talk about education at their kitchen table and this experience
prompted his becoming a trustee with the DDSB when his children went to public school in Ajax. His
interest in law came from his mother who wanted to be a lawyer but became a teacher instead and a
grandfather with whom he listened to Perry Mason on the radio. He developed a strong interest in
history and politics after childhood family visits to his mother’s friends, the Janes on their Watford,
Ontario farm north of London, (one of the four brothers, an Ontario MPP), hearing political discussions
at their table.
He was born April 10, 1947 at Kitchener. He attended Courtland Ave PS Kitchener; Elizabeth Ziegler PS
Waterloo; Eastwood Collegiate Kitchener; U. of Waterloo 1970 BA Honours History, 1971 MA History;
Faculty of Education University of Toronto B Ed Type A History 1972; Faculty of Law LLB U. of Windsor
1977; Degree of Barrister of Law, Law Society of Upper Canada 1979, called to the Bar of Ontario 1979.
Duncan had polio as a child before the vaccine was developed, wore a leg brace until his affected leg got
stronger, had to return to a brace in mid life and use mobility aids later. He had a persevering nature,
loved reading and education.
People he said he admired: Colin Johnson, Anglican Bishop of Toronto; Rick Smale, Eastwood H.S.
teacher and football coach; Everet Storms, Grade 8 Wilson Ave P.S. teacher and principal; Professor John
Walker Whiteside, U. of Windsor; Lester Pearson.
Work experience: Student of Accounts Clarkson & Gordon, Toronto 1972-1974. Articled with Bondy
Kerwin & Associates, Windsor, Ont. 1972-75. Legal editor CCH Canadian, Toronto 1979-1981. Director of
Industry Relations, Federation of Automobile Dealers of Canada 1980-1990. Executive Director the
Advocates’ Society 1990-93. Counsel the office of Dan McTeague MP 1993-95. Executive Director of
CAPIC, Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication 1995-99. Law Office of
Duncan P Read 1999-2003. Chair CPP Disability Tribunal Oshawa 2003-5. Member ODSP Tribunal 2005-6.
Executive director Social Development council Ajax-Pickering. Deputy Judge Ontario Small Claims Court.
Justice of the Peace Ontario Court of Justice Oshawa 2003-2015. Per diem JP 2015-17.
Elected Office: Trustee Durham Board of Education 1985-88, 88-91, 91-94, vice-chair 1994.
Other: President Ont. March of Dimes 1999-2001, board member MOD 1999-2003, chair post-polio and
stroke recovery committee. He was on the Rouge Valley Hospital Board of Directors 2002-6; was a
stewardship chair Church of the Holy Trinity, Ajax; was on the Durham Region Economic Development
Advisory Committee; was a director of Community Justice Alternatives Ajax-Pickering; director Ontario
Public School Boards Association & the Association of Large School Boards of Ontario; member Ontario
Municipal Conflict of Interest Legislative Review Committee chaired by Professor John Whiteside, U. of
Windsor 1994-95 Also a staff member Royal commission of Inquiry Algoma University. He was a member
of the Law Society of Upper Canada; member Osgoode Society; member Durham Region Law
Association; president of Occ#7 Ontario County Corporation Oshawa 2013-21.
He attended Highland Road United Church, Kitchener with brother Tom, sister Joan, mother Gretta near
their home; and St. Margaret in the Pines Anglican Church, Scarborough and Church of the Holy Trinity,
Ajax with his own family, and St. George’s Memorial Anglican Church, Oshawa for a brief time with his
wife.
His brother Tom, parents Gretta and Fred are deceased. Grieving his passing are his sister Joan,
Kitchener, wife Barbara Anne of Oshawa, son Hugh, his wife Heather and their daughters Hannah, Haley
and Helen of East Toronto; daughter Heather, her husband Peter and their daughters Zoe and Violet of
Scarborough; brothers & sisters in law and their children. He was the grampa who sent his grand girls
Chirp, Chickadee and Owl magazines, laughed at their jokes & encouraged them in their schooling and
summer activities. He was the dad who took his family on summer trips to historical sites in Canada and
the USA and cheered on his son’s Ajax Spartan baseball games, daughter in tow in the summertime. In
his retirement, he watched TVO, PBS, CNN, CBC, TSN, wrote letters to politicians and emails to his
friends and read prodigiously.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 3, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at Armstrong Funeral Home (124 King St. E., Oshawa). A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 1 p.m. in the Chapel.
If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Ontario March of Dimes. Online condolences may be shared at www.armstrongfh.ca
Duncan had a very full and productive life. He was a great story teller of family and historical facts. He
loved the Montreal Canadiens, The Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Blue Jays. He was a member of the
Liberal Party starting in high school until he became a Justice of the Peace and had to be apolitical. Both
of his parents were high school teachers in Kitchener-Waterloo. His mother Gretta Ross Read taught
French and German and his father Frederick Read was a guidance counsellor at Eastwood Collegiate. He,
his sister and brother listened to them talk about education at their kitchen table and this experience
prompted his becoming a trustee with the DDSB when his children went to public school in Ajax. His
interest in law came from his mother who wanted to be a lawyer but became a teacher instead and a
grandfather with whom he listened to Perry Mason on the radio. He developed a strong interest in
history and politics after childhood family visits to his mother’s friends, the Janes on their Watford,
Ontario farm north of London, (one of the four brothers, an Ontario MPP), hearing political discussions
at their table.
He was born April 10, 1947 at Kitchener. He attended Courtland Ave PS Kitchener; Elizabeth Ziegler PS
Waterloo; Eastwood Collegiate Kitchener; U. of Waterloo 1970 BA Honours History, 1971 MA History;
Faculty of Education University of Toronto B Ed Type A History 1972; Faculty of Law LLB U. of Windsor
1977; Degree of Barrister of Law, Law Society of Upper Canada 1979, called to the Bar of Ontario 1979.
Duncan had polio as a child before the vaccine was developed, wore a leg brace until his affected leg got
stronger, had to return to a brace in mid life and use mobility aids later. He had a persevering nature,
loved reading and education.
People he said he admired: Colin Johnson, Anglican Bishop of Toronto; Rick Smale, Eastwood H.S.
teacher and football coach; Everet Storms, Grade 8 Wilson Ave P.S. teacher and principal; Professor John
Walker Whiteside, U. of Windsor; Lester Pearson.
Work experience: Student of Accounts Clarkson & Gordon, Toronto 1972-1974. Articled with Bondy
Kerwin & Associates, Windsor, Ont. 1972-75. Legal editor CCH Canadian, Toronto 1979-1981. Director of
Industry Relations, Federation of Automobile Dealers of Canada 1980-1990. Executive Director the
Advocates’ Society 1990-93. Counsel the office of Dan McTeague MP 1993-95. Executive Director of
CAPIC, Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication 1995-99. Law Office of
Duncan P Read 1999-2003. Chair CPP Disability Tribunal Oshawa 2003-5. Member ODSP Tribunal 2005-6.
Executive director Social Development council Ajax-Pickering. Deputy Judge Ontario Small Claims Court.
Justice of the Peace Ontario Court of Justice Oshawa 2003-2015. Per diem JP 2015-17.
Elected Office: Trustee Durham Board of Education 1985-88, 88-91, 91-94, vice-chair 1994.
Other: President Ont. March of Dimes 1999-2001, board member MOD 1999-2003, chair post-polio and
stroke recovery committee. He was on the Rouge Valley Hospital Board of Directors 2002-6; was a
stewardship chair Church of the Holy Trinity, Ajax; was on the Durham Region Economic Development
Advisory Committee; was a director of Community Justice Alternatives Ajax-Pickering; director Ontario
Public School Boards Association & the Association of Large School Boards of Ontario; member Ontario
Municipal Conflict of Interest Legislative Review Committee chaired by Professor John Whiteside, U. of
Windsor 1994-95 Also a staff member Royal commission of Inquiry Algoma University. He was a member
of the Law Society of Upper Canada; member Osgoode Society; member Durham Region Law
Association; president of Occ#7 Ontario County Corporation Oshawa 2013-21.
He attended Highland Road United Church, Kitchener with brother Tom, sister Joan, mother Gretta near
their home; and St. Margaret in the Pines Anglican Church, Scarborough and Church of the Holy Trinity,
Ajax with his own family, and St. George’s Memorial Anglican Church, Oshawa for a brief time with his
wife.
His brother Tom, parents Gretta and Fred are deceased. Grieving his passing are his sister Joan,
Kitchener, wife Barbara Anne of Oshawa, son Hugh, his wife Heather and their daughters Hannah, Haley
and Helen of East Toronto; daughter Heather, her husband Peter and their daughters Zoe and Violet of
Scarborough; brothers & sisters in law and their children. He was the grampa who sent his grand girls
Chirp, Chickadee and Owl magazines, laughed at their jokes & encouraged them in their schooling and
summer activities. He was the dad who took his family on summer trips to historical sites in Canada and
the USA and cheered on his son’s Ajax Spartan baseball games, daughter in tow in the summertime. In
his retirement, he watched TVO, PBS, CNN, CBC, TSN, wrote letters to politicians and emails to his
friends and read prodigiously.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 3, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at Armstrong Funeral Home (124 King St. E., Oshawa). A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 1 p.m. in the Chapel.
If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Ontario March of Dimes. Online condolences may be shared at www.armstrongfh.ca