Donald Edward Trembinski
April 3, 1948 – November 8, 2023
Donald Edward Trembinski, born April 3, 1948, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his wife and daughters, early in the morning on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington. Don was the second of five sons born to Lillian Piche Trembinski and Fred Trembinski of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Don leaves behind his much-beloved wife of 50 years, Christine; his two daughters Donna (Michael) and Carrie, and the two lights of his life, his grandchildren Ben and Clara. Don will be remembered fondly by his four brothers - Fred (Nicole), Rick (Brenda), Terry and Gary (Edythe) and their children, by his sister-in-law, Carole (Allan) McPhee as well as by his large extended family, his golfing buddies, and his former Algoma, Dofasco and CarNation colleagues and friends.
Don spent his entire career in the steel industry (first at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, and later at Dofasco Inc. when he and his family moved to Burlington, Ontario) while also helping Christine to run a successful picture framing business for more than a decade. Even in his retirement, Don was always on the go. He was an avid golfer and picked up a part-time job jockeying cars to and fro – always regaling his family and friends with a detailed starred review of the vehicles he had driven that day.
While some knew him as the man who might drive to three grocery stores to save 99 cents on bacon, he was also the kind of man who would spend thousands of dollars on a pair of kayaks just to make sure he could spend quality time with his grandchildren as they grew into teenagers. He was a family man in the truest sense of the word. He was the family chef, mechanic, handyman, driving instructor, babysitter, and a very hands-on “chief of staff.” He was witty and sarcastic until the day he died, catching many a care-provider off guard.
Over four years ago, Don was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer – the disease to which he eventually succumbed. Throughout his cancer journey, he was fortunate to receive exceptional care from Joseph Brant Hospital’s oncology unit and palliative care teams, as well as at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, where he was a part of a clinical trial and was treated at the brain metastases clinic. Special thanks to Drs. Phillips, Bedard, and Garland and to so many others who cared for Don as he fought his cancer with the same strength, courage and determination (read: stubbornness) he approached every other challenge he encountered.
A memorial gathering will be held at SMITH’S FUNERAL HOME, 485 Brant Street (one block north of City Hall), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Monday, November 13, 2023 from 6-9 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the oncology program at Joseph Brant Hospital would be sincerely appreciated. To donate please visit: www.jbhfoundation.ca/ways-to-give."