Randall Droll

Randall Bogard Droll

Randy Droll, 71, passed away surrounded by family on April 3, 2019 at The Ottawa Hospital’s General campus.

Born on December 8, 1947 to Ritta and Charles Droll (both predeceased) in Kokomo, Indiana, throughout his life Randy returned home often to visit his mother and to attend high school reunions. He was a truly devoted father to his two children and dedicated a great portion of his life to them. They were never in doubt of his love or support.

Randy attended and organized writing and poetry groups around Ottawa through the last many years. He started writing in earnest during graduate school in the 1970s, and through his life he produced a large collection of written stories and poems including his mystery novel Human Factors, self-published in 2013. Writing and family were his two great lifelong passions.

Randy was also a talented scholar and scientist, and a well-regarded colleague. He completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Physics from Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, respectively. He was variously: high school valedictorian; a National Merit Scholar; a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honour society; and a voracious reader and lifelong learner and thinker across many topics and disciplines. He worked for more than 20 years for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, where he vocally and consistently argued in favour of ideas aimed at improving nuclear safety.

Drafted in 1971 to serve in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War, Randy completed his service doing meteorological work at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico until his honourable discharge in 1973.

In graduate school, Randy was politically active as a member of the Teaching Assistant’s Association, and there met Joan DeBardeleben, with whom he was married from 1979 to 1994 and retained a lifelong friendship. The couple first lived in Colorado, but moved to Montreal in 1980, where their two children, Andrew and Larisa, were born.

Randy maintained contact with friends from every chapter of his life from high school onward, often across many decades and large geographic divides. He also thoroughly enjoyed basketball, playing in high school, while in the U.S. military, and in pick-up games whenever he could. He especially enjoyed playing with his children back home in Kokomo.

Randy is survived in Ottawa by the families of his two children: Andrew Droll, his wife, Sara, and their daughter, Ariana; and Larisa Rose, her husband, Peter, and their daughter, Madeleine. He is also survived by his sister, Michelle Swisher (Jim) of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and by his brother, Laren Droll (Maggie) of Nyack, New York.

All will be welcome to join family and friends in a celebration of Randy’s life. E-mail drollrandy@gmail.com to be made aware of event details when available soon.