Don Dutton, the former Star journalist who won two National Newspaper Awards for his incredible photography and mentored many during his storied career, died in his sleep March 17. He was 88 years old.

Known for being a compassionate and gifted journalist, Dutton began reporting in his hometown at the Simcoe Reformer. He went on to complete stints at the Oshawa Times and Guelph Mercury before becoming a reporter and photographer at the Toronto Star in 1960.

Throughout his decades-long career at the Star, Dutton authored many front page stories, captured stunning photographs and received many awards for both his writing and photography.

Dutton won his first National Newspaper Award in 1973 for his photos of the aftermath of a bank robber being blown to bits by his own bomb in Kenora, Ont. Dutton, who happened to be in the northern Ontario town for a different story, was crouched behind the wheel of a police car when the deafening blast went off.

“I huddled against the cruiser as debris rained down,” Dutton wrote in his NNA submission, describing how blood and bank notes descended on the scene.

“Dust and thick blue smoke blocked my view. Behind me people were screaming and running away. I began taking photos as soon as I could see the outlines of buildings and parked cars but there was no one where the robber had been standing.”

The following year, Dutton won another NNA, this time for his photo of an eight-year-old boy fighting back tears at the funeral for his father, one of two Moncton, N.B. policeman slain during a kidnapping investigation.

Keith Beaty, a former Star photographer who worked alongside Dutton, called him “an inspiration.”

“Those of us who were strictly photographers had a bit of an attitude that you couldn’t be both a good writer and a good photographer. But he was truly great at both,” Beaty said.

A principled and generous journalist, Dutton brought those same attributes to his home life. Dutton was happily married for more than 66 years to his wife Gloria. He had three children, four grandchildren and one-great granddaughter.

“As a father, I couldn’t have asked for any better,” said his son Dave, who followed his father’s footsteps to a career in journalism.

“He was a rock. When I’d lose my bearings and look up for the north star, it would be him. Everybody in life goes through good things and bad things, and he was always there for you, no matter what.”

Whether it was a few kind words of encouragement or driving in a car at “a ridiculous hour” a few hours away, Dave said there was never a doubt that his father would be there.

After retiring from journalism, Dutton focused on another lifelong passion – flying. He assembled and built an airplane in his own home, and flew it for several years.

“He taught me everything,” said his daughter Lisa. From her father, she learned everything from how to skate, to how to frame a cottage, to writing in column inches and asking proper follow-up questions.

“He was principled, compassionate, generous, kind and funny,” she said. In a tribute, she wrote:

“It wouldn’t be enough to say that he embodied his principles… or that he was important to or beloved by many people he helped or whose lives he touched, briefly or over many years. But to me, who he was and what he did better and more of than anything else, was be my dad.”