Remembering Doug Symons

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Douglas McLeod Symons, known for his passion for sharing local history with the Woodstock community, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, Jan. 13, just two days shy of his 92nd birthday.

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Known by all as Doug, Symons was born Jan. 15, 1930, in Woodstock, where he was loved for his bright and entertaining personality.

“Doug was one of those caring people that really had a deep, deep interest in the City of Woodstock. Not only Woodstock, but the County of Oxford and some of the people who made Woodstock and the County of Oxford what it is today,” said Mark Schadenburg, a city councilor and a former sports editor at the Sentinel-Review.

For years, Symons wrote Symons Says, a column for the Woodstock Sentinel-Review that shared interesting tales from the history of Woodstock and Oxford County, as well as stories from his own family history.

“There would be people who would go out and purchase (the newspaper) just to read his column,” Schadenburg said.

During his years as a columnist, he also published three books on the history of Woodstock – Woodstock: Way Back When, The Village That Straddled a Swamp: An Informal History of Woodstock, and The Giants of Oxford.

Symons not only made a deep impact on the community through his books and beloved column, but also through volunteering with a number of local organizations, including the Woodstock Lions Club and the Oxford Historical Society, where he served as vice-president for a number of years.

Karen Houston, the curator of the Woodstock Museum and a member of the Oxford Historical Society, remembered his passion for dressing up for various events in the community and his overwhelming zest for life.

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“He loved drama. Anytime we had any sort of event that was (made) to dress up and be silly he was there. He was very much involved in his community.”

She said Symons left a cheerful impression every time she talked to him.

“We would have Halloween events for kids, and I will never forget when he played the mad professor. He looked so perfect. He had this white, stringy hair that went out in every direction and he just played the part to the hilt,” she said.

His joy for life – and the enthusiasm he shared with the community – will always be remembered by his family, friends and readers of his books and newspaper column.

“We’re all going to miss him,” Houston said.

Family was extremely important to Symons, and one of the milestones in his life was meeting his best friend, Catherine Patricia Holdsworth, who would soon change her name to Catherine Patricia Symons when they married in 1954. He wrote: “She was by far the best thing that ever happened to me. She loved me for what I was and, as a result changed, me into a person that even I could like. … Our whole life together is a fond memory.”

They were happily married for 65 years and had three children together: Stephen, Jeffrey and Lisa. Symons made sure that hugs, especially between men, were frequent, his obituary said. This is because his own father did not show much affection, so he made it a priority to instil the importance of affection in his own family and teach his own sons how to show love.

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When getting ready for his death, Symons wrote, “All worldly accomplishments pale beside the enormous pride I took in my part of raising our loving and productive family. This is my last chance to tell you that I love you all.”

To remember his passions in life, his family is asking that donations in Doug’s name be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, the Woodstock Lions Club or Theater Woodstock in lieu of flowers.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Jan. 29 from 11 am to 12:30 pm, with a funeral service following at the Brock and Visser chapel. Afterwards, a burial will be held at the Oxford Center Pioneer Cemetery.

All family and friends are invited to attend but must RSVP for the ceremony through www.brockandvisser.com .