Don often said, “If you live to 80, you’ve had a good life.” He celebrated his 79th birthday on April 24th, so being in his 80th year certainly counts.

Don was born in Beaverton, ON, on April 24, 1947, to John and Dorothy McCausland (née Hoover). The eldest of three boys, he loved farming so much that he knew from an early age it would be his life’s work. He lived in Beaverton until he was 12, when his family moved to Hillsburgh, ON. He attended Erin District High School.

Before becoming a full-time dairy farmer, Don worked as a heavy-duty equipment mechanic and had a brief stint as a miner in Sudbury. While working as a mechanic at Kirkwood’s gas station, he met Bernice, the love of his life. They married on December 6, 1969, and had two daughters, Janet and Tammy. They rented a farm until 1974, when they purchased a family farm on the 4th Line in Euphrasia Township. Initially, Don farmed with John and was later joined by his youngest brother, Wayne. He taught Bernice how to be a farmer so well that everyone thought she had grown up on a farm herself.

After selling the farm in 2001, Don became a driving instructor. Over 15 years, he taught hundreds of teenagers and adults from Meaford, Thornbury, Collingwood, and Stayner how to drive. He greatly enjoyed the camaraderie with his students.

Don was upbeat, outgoing, well-liked, and a strong believer in community service. He volunteered with the Centre Grey Lions, the Rocklyn Arena Board, as a 4-H leader, as well as with the International Plowing Match in Meaford in 2004. He worked for many years as a snowmobile groomer operator, grooming the trails for others to enjoy. He had a distinguished career in politics, serving as a councillor and reeve of Euphrasia Township, and as the first mayor of the Municipality of Grey Highlands. He served as Warden of Grey County in 1996 and 2003. Additionally, he served on the Social Housing Committee in Toronto for six years.

Don really enjoyed watching the Toronto Blue Jays and curling, following politics and current events, and texting his buddy Dale M. about farming and life in general. In his younger years, he played slow-pitch and broom ball, curled, and snowmobiled.

He often said he never liked school, but he possessed great ingenuity. He devised a system using a RAM pump and solar power to pump water from the run-off at the back of the McCausland property, up a steep incline, and through 3,500 feet of pipe to the pond behind the barn. The McCauslands were known for their “McCausland fixes” for tractors and other equipment. Don also designed and built a bucket for his John Deere tractor, which he used around the property where he and Bernice had built their dream home.

Don passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at Brightshores Health System Meaford on June 1, 2026. He will be sadly missed by his wife, Bernice; his daughters Janet (Dean Ruddick) and Tammy (Veeron Wilson); and his granddaughters Jodi, Jenna, and Ava. He will also be fondly missed by his sister-in-law, Marilynne McCausland, and her children, Michael and Laura; his sister- and brother-in-law, Barb and Larry Rose, and Barb’s sons, Kevin and Jamie Nesbitt; his sister-in-law, Jean Yates; his brother- and sister-in-law, Bruce and Chris Yates; and many other nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was predeceased by his parents; his brothers Harold (2020) and Wayne (2010); and his brother-in-law, Ronald Yates.

The McCausland Family would like to thank Brightshores for the excellent care they provided to Don, as well as Dr. Ashleigh Allen, Dr. Marc Newton, and Dr. Behzad Etemadi.

A private family service will be held at Thornbury-Clarksburg Union Cemetery on June 4, 2026. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, July 25, from 2–5 p.m. at the Euphrasia Memorial Community Centre (Rocklyn Hall).
As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Brightshores Meaford Hospital Foundation or the Centre Grey Lions would be appreciated. Donations may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON N4L 1B9 (519-538-1320), to whom arrangements have been entrusted.

• First Name : Don
• Last Name : McCausland
• Funeral Home : Ferguson Funeral Home, Meaford
• URL : https://fergusonfuneralhomes.ca/obituary/donald-john-don-mccausland/

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