Canadian Music Trade - December / January 2020 | Page 19

Canadian
MI Industry
Mourns the
Sudden
Passing of
JUNE DOYLE:
1934-2019
T
he Canadian MI industry
was shocked and deeply
saddened to learn of the
sudden passing of June
Doyle, the long-time and
widely-loved Western
Canadian sales rep for D’Addario Canada.
She passed in a fatal car accident on Nov. 16,
2019, at the age of 85.
June was born in Cold Lake, AB in 1934
and is survived by her children, Jacqueline
and Michael Doyle, granddaughter Amanda,
grandson Liam, granddaughter Mackenzie
Maxwell, and brother Jack Doyle. Prior to
her life in the MI industry, June served with
the Canadian Air Force from 1955 to 1960,
and has been involved with the NDP party
since 1968. Also an animal lover, she was
a great supporter of PETA, the SPCA, and
WWF.
Ray Verrall, a veteran independent rep for
companies including Levy’s Leathers, Larrivée
Guitars, Audio Distributors International,
and Blaze Music, among others, reached out
to CMT with the following tribute: “No-
vember 18 th wasn’t a good day for me when
I heard the news of June Doyle’s passing. We
first met over 30 years ago when I was a retail
buyer and she was my rep for Canadian Mu-
sical Services. June was like a dog on a bone
when it came to selling and she really knew
the product. She was as passionate about
her sales as she was about the environment
and politics and I was proud to call her my
friend even though, as her brother Jack once
told me, ‘June can be a bit crusty at times.’
She lived to travel Western Canada, visiting
dealers on a schedule that put all of us on the
wholesale side of the desk to shame. June was
a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, and
friend who will be deeply missed by all who
had the pleasure of knowing her. May she rest
in peace.”
On June’s obituary page, a number of
her friends and colleagues also shared their
memories of and fondness for June:
“June was a very special woman, liked by so
many in the music industry; she was an icon.
Such a delightful person who always had a
smile and greeted everyone with so much
respect and understanding. Knowing her
was an absolute honor. She was dedicated,
hard-working, considerate, and possessed
a special way about her. She will be missed
and certainly remembered by many. Rest in
peace.”
John D’Addario Jr., D’Addario & Co.
(retired)
“We at D’Addario Canada are heartbroken
at the sad, tragic loss of a wonderful, special
person: June Doyle. The large number of
condolences we have received from dealers
and friends, or should I say extended family
as they called themselves, only shows and
confirms what a special, wonderful, caring
individual, mother, grandmother, and road
warrior June was. Our heartfelt sympathies
and condolences go out to June’s family and
may you all be blessed with her wonderful
memories. This icon of our Canadian music
industry will be sadly missed. We love you
June.”
Arnold Davidson, President,
D’Addario Canada
“I have fond memories of June siting in the
back office with her order pad and catalogs
drinking a coffee and having a nice visit with
my parents, Vic and Doreen Lillo. She was
always very patient when the order would be
interrupted with phone calls or customers.
June would finish the order and would always
thank us for the business. Even during phone
orders June always made a point to say ‘thank
you.’ She was genuinely interested in her
customers and we considered her to be our
friend. June was planning to retire at the end
of this year and had planned to come visit
our store one more time as my parents are
retiring this year too. Sadly, this visit was not
to be. We will miss June and send our deepest
condolences to June’s family and friends.”
Corinne Lillo, Lillo’s Music,
Edmonton, AB
More heartfelt tributes to June can be found
at www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries.
Canadian Music Trade sends our deep-
est condolences to June’s family and many
friends.
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 19