Cathedral Faces – Ann Deveau and Doug Milander

Ann and Doug are well known around the Cathedral for their many hours of volunteer work.

Ann is from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Doug is from Norfolk, Nebraska. They began attending the Cathedral in 1997 as a middle way between her Roman Catholic upbringing and his background in the United Methodist church. The route to Fredericton taken by this busy, caring couple is interesting.

Ann Deveau and Doug Milander

Doug received a journalism degree in Nebraska and, immediately after graduation, he received his military draft notice. It was during the Vietnam War which he opposed. He made the life-altering decision to move to Canada, knowing he faced prison for draft evasion if he returned to the USA where his parents and family remained.

He worked at a weekly newspaper in Morris, Manitoba, as editor, photographer, reporter, and it was a seven day per week effort. He reported for a daily newspaper in Winnipeg before he moved to Saint John, N.B., to work for the TELEGRAPH JOURNAL, often covering the court circuit. He comments that although it is cold in the winter on the prairies, he felt the damp cold even more in Saint John!

He proudly became a Canadian citizen but was not allowed into the USA until President Jimmy Carter declared an amnesty for draft evaders in 1977. Following a long backpacking trip overland from England to Nepal, he got a job as a legislative reporter for the DAILY GLEANER. One of his new colleagues at that newspaper was Ann Deveau who had earned a journalism degree at Carleton University in Ottawa.

They married in 1978 in St. Mark's chapel at Kings Landing. By this time, Doug had switched from newspapers to radio and worked in Moncton and Fredericton as a reporter and news reader. Many of us remember him as such. Ann worked as a television reporter, then opted to try government communications. She had a number of interesting responsibilities including speech writing for whichever government was in power, press announcements, interacting with reporters, and preparing government officials for news conferences. She had to be very versatile!

Ann has been retired for five years, and Doug for 12 years. At that time, they stepped up the volunteer work they had always done during their careers. For example, Doug had coached sports and Ann has been a top fund-raiser for a Run for the Cure team and served four times as a judge for the National Newspaper Awards.

Help as many people as much as you can. So many people are in need.

Retirement was the beginning of a very active life for them, centred on the Cathedral and people in need.

Ann was secretary of the Missions Committee for eight years, and both have been on three mission trips to work at St. Hilda's School in Belize. They volunteer every Monday morning with the Outreach program, a weekly drop-in for people in need. They deliver weekly Food Bank donations, organize the Christmas Angels program, and volunteer monthly at the soup kitchen. Both are longtime regulars as ushers/greeters and recently became readers and prayer leaders at services.

A time-consuming but rewarding assignment recently was their service on the archdeaconry’s refugee sponsorship committee and their efforts to help a Liberian refugee family settle into Canada.

One wonders how they would have time for anything else! However, they love to travel and have seen many places in North America, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Europe. They recently returned from a tour of Italy. They love to read, work in their lovely gardens, go hiking and camping with their tent trailer, and help wherever they can. The neighbours all know them for their ‘dog stop’ on the corner by their house. They provide fresh water for the many dogs who walk past with their owners and offer a means to dispose of the “doggie doo.”

It is not hard to guess what “Words of Wisdom” this couple has to offer:

“Help as many people as much as you can. So many people are in need.” They certainly live up to their advice!