Paterson, Donald S., 1918-2006 : Donald Savigny Paterson, the eldest son of Norman M. Paterson, was born in Fort William on April 22, 1918. He married Jane Bernadette Lynch on August 2, 1947. He was raised in both Thunder Bay (formerly Fort William) and Ottawa. He was educated at Ashbury College in Ottawa, Bishop University in Lennoxville, Quebec and McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. His studies were interrupted in 1940 when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at the same time as his brother, John. In 1940, he obtained his pilot wings and became a commissioned Pilot Officer; he soon went overseas. As Flight Lieutenant piloting Lancaster bombers, he completed 29 missions. He took part in many attacks against strongly defended targets all over Germany - including ones in Berlin, Kassel, Munich, Stuttgart, Hanover and Nuremburg. He also completed a successful attack on the city of Milan, Italy. He retired in 1945. For his dedicated service to his country he received the following awards: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The France and Germany Star, The 1939 - 1945 Star, The Defence Medal and The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM). After the war, he entered into his father's business and soon became the President and General Manager of N.M. Paterson & Sons Limited. He was responsible for the management of the company's grain division operations in Winnipeg and held this position until his death in 2006. He was appointed on the board of many companies and associations, such as Stall Lake Mines Ltd., Traders Building Association Ltd., Grain Insurance & Guarantee Co. Ltd, Voyager Explorations Ltd., to name a few.
During the 1950s, he became an enthusiast for adventure. He not only visited both the North and South Pole, but was on the first civilian expedition to the South Pole. He visited Easter Island, the Galapagos and had piloted himself across Africa during this decade.
Donald S. Paterson became the honorary Chairman of Paterson Global Foods Inc. He spent 66 years in the grain business with his father, his brother John and his children.
