Douglas is survived by his sons, Andrew, Ian and Robert (Nancy), as well as his five grandchildren, Caitlin, Stuart, Kyle, Riley and Megan, and many nieces and nephews. Douglas was predeceased by his beloved wife, Naomi in 2023.

Douglas was born on August 7, 1925, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Professor W.M. and Dr. Helen L. Mitchell. As a young man, Douglas enlisted in the Royal Air Force. He completed his pilot’s training throughout various parts of the United States, however, the war ended before he saw active duty. He was stationed in the middle east as a phys ed officer after the war ended and completed his time with the RAF. He then returned home to Scotland and attended the University of Edinburgh and completed his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.

Douglas immigrated to Ottawa, Canada in 1956, where he accepted a position as a research scientist with Agriculture Canada. Douglas worked extensively with research medicine and was instrumental in the first embryo transfer in North America back in the 1970s. He had a keen interest in equine health and travelled worldwide advancing equine reproduction.

He accepted a new position as Director of the Animal Disease & Research Institute in Lethbridge and moved his family to Lethbridge in 1976. Before his retirement, he and Naomi spent 2.5 years in Indonesia working as a Canadian Project Manager for a bilateral aid project in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

In addition to his professional career, Douglas was actively involved as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and was passionate about justice and mission and outreach, and served on several ecumenical committees. Douglas loved music and sang in both his Church choir and Vox Musica for many years.

Our hearts are heavy and our earthly lives will never be the same without our beloved Douglas. However, we are filled with gratitude for a life well lived and we praise God for His goodness and His promise of eternal life through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our living Savior.

Friends and family are invited to join us for a Memorial Service at ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1818 - 5th Avenue South, Lethbridge, on Monday, August 19, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. with Rev. Daniel Surya officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Presbyterian World Service and Development, 50 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1J7