Donald Gilchrist

Donald Hunter Gilchrist (January 2, 1922 – March 14, 2017) was a Canadian figure skater.

Gilchrist was born on January 2, 1922, in Toronto.

Gilchrist began skating when he joined the Toronto Skating Club in February 1928.

Competing in men's singles, he won silver at three consecutive Canadian Championships, from 1940 to 1942.

After a partnership with Eleanor O'Meara, he teamed up with Marlene Smith.

Gilchrist served as a marksman and captain in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps during the 1940s.

As a pair skater with Marlene Smith, he became the 1949 North American silver medallist and a two-time Canadian national champion (1949–1950).

He was a three-time national silver medallist in men's singles.

The pair won two national titles (1949–1950) and silver at the 1949 North American Championships.

He graduated from the University of Toronto (Trinity) in 1950 and married Christiane Legier in 1952; the couple had three children: Nancy Ann, Donald, and Jean.

Gilchrist began judging international skating competitions in 1951.

He judged at the 1952 Winter Olympics and at multiple World Championships (1952, 1959, 1964, 1967), and also served as a referee.

He worked for Canada's Department of Defence Production in Washington (1952 to the 1960s), as director general of the Trade Commissioner Service (from 1966), as a vice-president of the Canadian Commercial Corporation, as consul general in Los Angeles (from 1974), and as minister-counsellor at the embassy in the Netherlands (1982–1986).

He was a substitute member of the International Skating Union (ISU) Single & Pair Skating Technical Committee (from 1953), a main member of the technical committee (1969–1971, 1973–1980), an ISU Council member (1980–1992), and an ISU Honorary Member (from 1992).

He was inducted into the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1996.

He died at age 95 on March 14, 2017.