Eugene “Red” Doolittle: October 20, 1926 – June 13, 2016

Red Doolittle passed away while on a fishing trip with his wife, Charlotte (called Shirley, and a very competitive shooter in her day) and another couple in Algonquin Park on Monday, June 13. He was 89. It was only appropriate that Red’s life would end in the outdoors with family and friends and doing something he loved. In addition to being an important figure in the shooting sports in Canada since the 1950’s, Red was a dedicated outdoorsman, who hunted, fished and trapped for most of his life.

A top-ranked bullseye pistol shot (ISSF, NRA and PPC), Red competed in many World Masters Games, Canada Games, Ontario Provincial Championships, and innumerable other matches, including the Ottawa Valley Pistol League which he helped establish back in 1960. He won six gold medals and one bronze at the World Masters Games in Australia in 2002 at age 76, for example, after having to borrow someone else’s guns when his own were not shipped in time.

His once-red-hair may have turned white many years ago, but Red maintained a youthful attitude and energy, and continued to contribute to the shooting sports in so many ways that his loss is keenly felt by all who benefitted from knowing him.

A Coach and Range Officer at numerous matches over the decades, Red even ran the PPC matches at the Don Moore Memorial Pistol Matches held at Connaught this May long weekend. He was instrumental in establishing PPC (Police Pistol Combat) as a sport in Canada, and taught a course in it to students as recently as April.

Red was a Second World War veteran, having enlisted underage in the RCAF, and serving under secondment to Coastal Command off the Scottish coast as an air gunner in huge Sunderland flying boats. After his true age was discovered, he had to get a letter of permission from his parents to stay in the service. Having already invested in his training, the RCAF allowed the youngster to continue his duties. From shortly after his return to Canada after the war until his death Monday, Red was active in the shooting sports and pistol shooting in particular.

He taught the Canadian Firearms Safety Course to countless students over the decades, and was also one of the relatively small number of instructors for the Wilderness Handgun Safety Course. He only stopped teaching these courses about a year ago, at age 88, as some kind of nod to “retirement.” However, he continued to actively run the range he began more than 60 years ago, the Arnprior & District Rifle and Revolver Association, where he was a mentor, coach and a beloved friend to the members. The same was true for many shooters from other clubs across Ontario and Canada.

His legacy is enormous, and his many friends miss his cheerful encouragement, warm humour, and boundless energy.

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Tribute by Ed Stevens