Bruce MacDougall - Renaissance Man

Bruce MacDougall and a Slice of Retirement

The Reverend Bruce MacDougall is a man of many facets.  For the past ten years, he has been Chaplain to the elderly in the Southampton Care Centre and Hampton Court and, finally, in his 80s, he is retiring.

For those who believe in the characteristics of the Zodiac signs, MacDougall is a true Gemini, quick and ever-changing.   Born on May 29, 1925, MacDougall was an only child who grew up in Edmonton and then, at the tender age of 19, he joined the navy, where he became a sub-Lieutenant until being discharged in 1945 after which he returned home to re-take his grade 12.

Bruce and Isobel MacDougall

After his family moved to Ottawa, MacDougall became one of the first graduates of Carleton University and then went on to Osgoode Hall in Toronto where he got his law degree.  While articling at one of the city's largest law firms, two life-changing events occurred - he met his wife Isobel, who was in charge of the patent department for the law firm and, then, he was asked to become Assistant Parliamentary Counsel in Ottawa.

According to MacDougall, he soon discovered that, "as Assistant Parliamentary Counsel, I had little actual meaningful work to do and, quite frankly, I couldn't see spending years doing nothing."

So it was, that at 31, and with the support of his wife, MacDougall took a literal leap of faith and entered the ministry at Emmanuel College in Toronto.   Three years later, the new minister and his wife moved to their first charge in the small town of Massey in Northern Ontario. After spending four years in the small community, the MacDougalls moved to Sudbury where the Reverend assumed his duties at the new St. Peter's Church where he remained for over ten years.

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From Sudbury, MacDougall was invited to become Executive Director of 'Faith at Work (Canada) Inc.', an inter-denominational para-ministry in Hamilton and the couple welcomed the move.

While in Hamilton, Isobel MacDougall, who had always wanted to be a nurse, returned to school at 49 and achieved her goal, one that was to become an advantage.  When Bruce MacDougall was asked to take on the mantle of President of the Faith at Work organization, working and travelling out of Maryland in the U.S.,  Isobel had the opportunity to apply her nursing skills at the hospital in Baltimore.

(L) Centre Administrator, Brenda Ohm presents keepsake to Bruce MacDougall and his wife, Isobel

For the next five years, Bruce MacDougall traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada until, in 1985,the couple returned to Hamilton, where the Reverend MacDougall became United Church Conference Secretary.

Among his many achievements, Reverend MacDougall also began the first Telephone Distress Centre in Canada, which is now part of the worldwide network of centres known as 'Lifeline International', of which he was Vice-President.

Southampton began as a chapter in the lives of the MacDougalls in 1959 when they began to 'summer' in the small coastal community with their five children.  Both knew it was where they wanted to retire one day.  Parents of five and grandparents of nine, the couple has become an integral part of Southampton's fabric.

Bruce MacDougall's cultural interests are wide-ranging.  He has written several adult books, including a ‘Time to Travel Light’ and ‘Hurrah for the Process’, and also a series of children’s books based on the fictional character, Albert O’Saurus.  In addition, he has written and produced a musical play, ‘Harriet Takes Charge’ and has composed the music and lyrics for many songs.  He also took up photography in later life and has had a showing of his work at the Southampton Art Gallery and has produced a series of special occasion cards.   MacDougall also plays piano at retirement homes in the community and has provided relief pastoral care for the United Church and, up until today, May 16th, he has continued with his ministerial chaplaincy obligations at the Southampton Care Centre.

 The Reverend Bruce MacDougall is the epitome of a 'renaissance man', continually changing and evolving.