Donald E. Kane

Donald E. Kane, 84, of Swampscott, MA, passed away peacefully at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, with his family at his side, on Sunday, January 18, 2015, after a long battle with cancer. Don is survived by his wife of 58 years, Margaret (Peggy) Madara Kane, son David and his wife Susan, of Elkridge, MD, and their 3 children, Sean King, Marlaina Dotolo, and Aaron J. Smith; son John of Clinton, Montana; and daughter Suzanne McCarthy and her husband Paul McCarthy and their two children, Benjamin McCarthy 15, and Sean McCarthy, 13, of Marblehead, MA. Don is predeceased by his parents and his sister Virginia. Don leaves behind two other sisters, Eleanor Gagnon of Boulder, CO, and Marguerite and her husband Samuel Basile of Naples,FL and Wilbraham, MA, and a number of nieces and nephews. Don is the son of Eugene Kane and Lucie Marceau Kane. Don was the oldest of four children, all born and raised in Springfield MA. Don, born on October 31, 1930, led a rich life that was puncutated by a wide spectrum of interests, highighted by his love for famiy, the great outdoors, fishing, music and sports. Don graduated from Springfield Technical High School in 1948. Don graduated from Amherst College n 1952, and also attended at Springfield College in Springfield, MA, graduating with an M.Ed in Industrial Psychology. Don served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was a long-time executive at General Electric Company, where he worked for 32 years before retiring to continue as a private consultant for several more years in his area of expertise - organizational planning. Shortly after retiring from GE, in 1987, Don and his wife Peggy left the East Coast hustle and bustle for the great outdoors and serene lifestyle in Clinton, Montana, in the Sapphire Mountains. There they built a beautiful log home on Rock Creek, a blue-ribbon trout stream nestled in a scenic valley between two mountain ridges, 45 minutes east of Missoula, MT. Don and his family spent their summers there for the past 26 years, spending the winters in Sequim, WA, on the Olympic Peninsula. They also enjoyed spending time on Marco Island, FL. Don's love of fishing and the outdoors attracted him to the aforementioned homesteads, and this burning passion also led Don on frequent trips to Alaska for annual fishing trips to far-away locations there with family and friends. His favorite place in Alaska was the Good News River Lodge, a remote fishing camp on the Bering Sea, that specializes in salmon and arctic char, many of which Don caught and released over the past 23 years fishing the river there. Don's memory was forever left at the Good News River Lodge when the camp owners recently named a bend in the river after him. "Kane's Corner" will undoubtedly thrill may more salmon and dolly varden anglers for years to come! Don was a self-taught, accomplished pianist, who loved to lead sing-a-longs with family and friends at get-togethers and his beloved "happy hours" in Fairfield and Rock Creek. He was also an avid fan and long-term season-ticket holder of the 'Grizzlies', the football team at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. Don was an adventurous traveler who, in his work with GE, visited 30 countries in his lifetime. And when closer to home in his later years, he rarely missed his grandschildren's football, basketball and baseball games. Don will long be remembered as a compassionate, supportive husband, dad, grandfather and friend, a man who loved life and lived it to the fullest. At his request, there will be no service at this time. In late July, a memorial service will be held on the Kane Rock Creek property. Memorial remembrances in Don's name made be made to the Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty Street, Danvers MA, 01923, or to The Marblehead All Sports Foundation, MASF, P.O. Box 240, Marblehead, MA 01945.