Donald Menzies, Teacher Turned His Passions Into Art, 55

[DGH]

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Donald Menzies died Monday, February 9, 2004, of a heart attack in his
Swampscott, Massachusetts, home, at the age of 55.

Donald W. Menzies was a band leader and music teacher in the Chelsea,
Massachusetts, public schools and president of the city's teacher's
union before making a midlife career change and devoting himself to
art.

"He took up painting as a means of relaxation when he was president of
the union," Christine (A'Hearn) Menzies said yesterday of her husband.

Mr. Menzies was president of the Chelsea Teachers Union during a
particularly stressful time, from 1984 to 1989, when Boston University
took over administration of the city's underperforming schools.

During those years, he began devoting his spare time to painting, and
soon developed his own style. "American impressionistic," according to
his wife.

Inspired by Claude Monet's series of paintings of his gardens at
Giverny, Mr. Menzies painted dozens of paintings of the 19th century
Fish House in Swampscott in various seasons under a variety of
lighting conditions. He also painted local beaches and a well-received
portrait of three race horses battling down the home stretch.

"He was basically just an artistic guy," said his wife, "whether it
was music or painting."

About 10 years ago, Mr. Menzies's career change was completed when he
and his wife became the proprietors of Kennedy Studios in Swampscott,
an art gallery and frame shop where he often could be seen laboring
over an easel.

Mr. Menzies was born and raised in Medford, where his father, a civil
engineer, led heated political discussions at the dinner table.

When it came time for college it was "a tossup whether he would go to
music school or art school," said his wife. He chose the Berklee
College of Music.

After graduation, he taught music and led the band and small ensemble
in the Wilmington and the Chelsea schools. Though his principal
instrument was the drums, he taught almost all instruments including
the woodwinds.

He also performed with local civic orchestras and with pop groups at
nightclubs and weddings.

"Eventually he grew tired of the clubs and weddings and gave up
performing, " said his wife.

He was a man of great enthusiasm. After becoming fascinated with a
flight simulator computer program, he learned how to pilot a plane.
Using photographs of a trip to Scotland, he constructed a model
railroad recreation of Edinburgh Station in his attic.

"He was a big man with a tough exterior, but deep down he was a real
softie with a certain teddy bear quality about him," his sister-in-law
Kathleen Calore of Medford said yesterday.

"He was the most untidy man in the world, but he always knew where
everything was," she said. "He was a complicated, very bright,
interesting person."