Dr. G. Donald McPherson

In Loving Memory of Don McPherson

Born: August 14, 1932

Died: March 17, 2026

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dr. Don McPherson, who left us on March 17, 2026, in Ashburn, Virginia, USA. Born in Toronto, Canada, to Marjorie Dougall and Garnet Medley McPherson, Don lived a life filled with love, laughter, and global achievement.

Don began his remarkable journey in 1946, earning just $0.10 an hour at the Temagami Timber Company. His career quickly evolved as he joined ALCAN in 1947, working as an alloy analysis technician. The following year, he took to the waters of the Great Lakes as a deckhand on an iron ore freighter.

In 1949, Don expanded his horizons further while serving in the kitchen aboard a tramp freighter that sailed to the Cape Verde Islands, Belgian Congo, South Africa, Mozambique, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Halifax, and back to Toronto, where he returned to his studies in high school.

By 1951, he was working as a ticket collector on the Toronto Island ferry boats while attending the University of Toronto, where he pursued a degree in engineering physics. In 1955, he married Marion Grant, marking the beginning of a beautiful partnership.

In 1956, Don accepted a position as a lecturer at the newly established University of Waterloo. During his two years there, he also contributed to Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., focusing on the design of the CANDU reactor fuel. His academic journey continued as he earned a master's degree from the University of Ottawa, followed by an engineering degree from the Commissariat à L’Enegie Atomique in Paris, France. Don culminated his educational pursuits by obtaining his PhD from Queen Mary College in London in 1966.

In 1973, the U.S. Department of Energy sought assistance from the Canadian government in licensing reactors, and Don became the sole employee from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) to accept the challenge, relocating to Washington, D.C. After three months, he was offered a prestigious position to manage the Loss of Fluid Test Program at the Idaho National Energy Laboratory. This critical program aimed to test a special reactor designed to simulate large pressurized power reactors, ensuring they could withstand all design-basis accidents as mandated by the newly formed Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with a primary focus on public safety.

In 1989, Don took on the role of Head of the Division of Reactor Safety at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, where he continued to contribute significantly to the field of nuclear safety. On his return to NRC in 1993, Dr. Mcpherson served as its expert on thermal hydraulics and testing issues associated with advanced reactor designs. He remained NRC senior scientist for the Russian Plutonium Reactors Core Conversion Project in 2000.

Upon retirement, Don and his second wife, Silvia, relocated to the picturesque hills of Tuscany, Italy. They settled in San Gimignano, where Don dedicated seven wonderful years to writing his book, “Ah Tuscany, the Enlightenment of an Expatriate” published by Outskirts Press in 2007. This period of his life was filled with personal joy and reflection, as he captured the beauty of his surroundings and shared his insights with others about buying a home in Tuscany.

Don’s legacy is one of dedication to his profession, a commitment to public safety, and a passion for sharing knowledge.

He is survived by his wife Silvia, daughters Laura Lea, Jeannette, M, Elisa and Michela, and sister Heather, who will carry his memory in their hearts forever.