Donald Rickerd headed Donner foundations in U.S. and Canada in an eclectic career

John Fraser can remember bumping into Donald Rickerd in the early 2000s at the entrance to Massey College at University of Toronto, accompanied by six university professors visiting from North Korea. Mr. Rickerd, a Massey senior fellow, was a beloved presence on campus, whose vast knowledge and connections had led him to become one of Canada’s leading experts on the isolated communist regime.

Mr. Fraser, who was Master at Massey, had a distinguished career as a journalist, including a stint as The Globe and Mail’s Beijing correspondent. That made him a valuable asset for Mr. Rickerd.