RIP Doug Burgess (1943-2024)

[Hugh Brodie]

I'm in Ottawa for a few days and noticed a newspaper obit for Doug Burgess - long time organizer of Ottawa events over the years. I'll add more later when I get home.

[Hugh Brodie]

Doug Burgess and Terry Fleming ran tournaments at the RA Centre in Ottawa for years. They also organized a couple of Canadian Opens. Doug played as well, with a rating in the 1800 to 2000 range. His son, Paul, played briefly in tournaments.

Here is the obit:

"Douglas George Burgess, aged 81, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, surrounded by family. He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Grania, his children, Paul (Roxana) and Diane, and his grandchildren, Bradley and Brittany. He is also sadly missed by his three step-children and four step-grandchildren.

Born in Montreal to Elaine (Sanders) and Eric Burgess, Doug travelled with his parents before settling in Ottawa. After graduating from Carleton, Doug worked as a chartered accountant for Export Development Canada and MDS Nordion.

An avid chess player, Doug was a former President of the Canadian Chess Federation and the RA Centre Chess Club. He loved cats, the Ottawa 67s, BNN Market Call, and everything to do with the weather.

At Doug's request, only a private gathering will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Humane Society, or a charity of your choice, are welcomed."

[Gordon Taylor]

I knew Doug since 1984 when I moved from BC to Ottawa to work for the CFC. I left in 1986 in a dispute over pay but returned in 1989 to serve as the CFC's Executive Director. At that time Doug was the CFC President and so we communicated often and got to know each other well. Around 1995 Doug offered me a job at MDS Nordion (as it was then known) to work on their SR&ED tax filings for Revenue Canada.

Doug will be remembered fondly by most Ottawa chess players for his tireless work at the RA Chess Club. He was of great help to me over the years, especially during my move to Kanata in 2000. During the 1990's Doug and I were both very active chess players. I cannot count the number of times we drove to tournaments, usually with a car full of chess players. We played in North Bay once, Windsor a couple of times (that was a long drive!), Edmunston, New Brunswick, for a Canadian Open, to name but a few of the destinations. I cannot stress how helpful Doug was in performing this service. We would have gladly chipped in for gas but Doug never asked. Doug's choice of music was sometimes peculiar, and we heard a lot of it on those drives, but he also tolerated our choices.

Doug made the cover of En Passant #109, August 1991 when I was editor. Here is what I wrote then:

"Doug Burgess is once again Canada's most active chess player. Over the past year Doug played 183 CFC rated games. This makes five years in a row that Doug has topped the most active list! Apart from playing a lot, he is also an active organizer for the Eastern Ontario Chess Association and the R.A. Chess Club in Ottawa. He served for two years as CFC President, and many more years as a CFC governor and member of the CFC Executive. You name it, he's done it all for chess."

[Vlad Drkulec]

My condolences to Doug's family and friends.

I did manage to play 168 games one year in Canada by not playing in the U.S. and playing at every opportunity but that was when hotel rooms were affordable. I'm not sure I could manage it today.

[Tony Ficzere]

Sad news indeed. I knew Doug well and he was the reason why I started organizing and directing chess tournaments. He also helped me get a job at the CFC as Business Manager where I worked with many people over the years, including Gordon Taylor. I used to play at Doug's house, he would often run 4 player tournaments there, was always a blast. That makes 2 very dedicated and wonderful chess people who have left this earth in December. Both Doug and Alex will be missed. RIP my friend.

[Brad Thomson]

Doug is a great friend and a truly fine human. A special, honourable soul. God bless him. Back in the 1990s he simply couldn't get enough chess. We used to play in four man tournaments in his kitchen. And as Gordon mentioned, Doug would drive car loads of players all over the place. What a wonderful, beautiful man!

[Hal Bond]

Doug was an invaluable mentor of mine and a good friend. Truly one of the good ones! He worked tirelessly in his spare time for the RA club and the EOCA. He was the voice of reason and a delightful companion on the Ontario tournament circuit. If there was a weekend tournament somewhere between Windsor and Gatineau with a carload of additional players in tow. I will miss him.

[Frank Dixon]

Doug Burgess was an extraordinarily active organizer and developer in the Ottawa area for decades. He was one of the most enthusiastic people about chess in Canada -- only a very few people I've known -- namely Serge Lacroix, IA Larry Bevand, IA David Cohen, and IA / IO Hal Bond -- have had the same level of keenness. He served as an important inspiration and example for me. Doug helped to make the RA Chess Club in Ottawa one of the country's best chess clubs, and provided important leadership to grow the district's Eastern Ontario Chess Association. He was a tremendous force for the good of Canadian chess, and as one of the country's most active competitive players over a period of many years, infused hundreds of others with some of his spirit and love for chess. Doug was a central figure in what gradually developed into a real powerhouse of Ottawa-area chess organizers, which included Terry Fleming, Les Bunning, IA / FM / GMC Jonathan Berry, FM Gordon Taylor, Dr. Halldor Palsson, Stijn de Kerpel, Gordon Ritchie, Neil Frarey, Dr. William Doubleday, and IA / IO Aris Marghetis, bridging the era from the 1970s to the present day. Those people, many of whom served in key CFC management roles, and / or developed into professional organizers, have stimulated enormous positive development of Canadian chess.

My sincere condolences to his family and close friends.

RIP Doug Burgess.

Sincerely
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston