Brenda & Joe
My heartfelt condolences on your father’s passing. He was a pleasure to talk with, I didn’t know him well but you always got a handshake and smile when you bumped into him.
Bob Montgomery
WILLARD, Gordon S.
1927 - 2021
With heavy hearts the family of Gordon Stanley Willard announces his passing at the age of 94. Gordon passed away peacefully at the Temiskaming Hospital on Friday, November 26, 2021.
He was born in Kerns Township on October 1, 1927. He is predeceased by his parents, William Willard and Nora (nee Thomas). He was predeceased by siblings Rita, Raymond, Fred, Clarence, Nora, Arnold and David. Gordon will be missed by his surviving brother Ken and sisters, Ollie and Shirley (Gordon Wilson). Gordon will be missed by his sister-in-law Ruth Wallace-Smith (Andy Smith) whom he considered a true little sister.
Gordon met his best friend, Isabelle Wallace when she was working as a telephone operator. They married on September 1, 1951. They were inseparable their entire marriage of 57 years until she passed away in 2008. They raised three daughters but Gordon always said he was a lucky man to have had 3 daughters and 3 sons. He was the hub of the family and his sense of humour, funny jokes and sharp wit will be greatly missed by all. He truly livened up a gathering with his bright blue eyes and his big smile.
He is survived by daughters, Brenda (Joe Mercier), Gayle (Bob Beaulieu) and Darlene (Mark Phillips). He will be greatly missed by 6 grandchildren, Sarah Cherry (Chris), Mike Beaulieu (Casey Baldovin), Jeff Mercier (Margret), David Mercier, Laura Phillips (Matt Hall) and Zach Phillips (Kim Caruso). He leaves behind 7 lucky great grandchildren to have had him for a great grandfather – Grace, Lila, Nate, Ellie, Audrey, Gunner & Poppy.
Hard work, dedication, perseverance and patience were a true part of Gordon’s character. He left school at a young age because it was a difficult task just to get to school two miles away. He also needed to help out at home on the farm.
Gordon always liked to travel and see other parts of the country and the world. As a young man he had some adventures working in the bush camps at the age of 15, later travelling out west to work on the Calgary Medical Center build, a farm in Saskatchewan and construction in Toronto working on Eglinton Avenue. He went to work at Northern Telephone in 1949 on the construction crew where he worked as a lineman until he retired at age 60. He was one of the first offered an early retirement package by the company and he always joked he didn’t want to seem too eager and accept right away, so he waited 5 minutes before he said yes!
Gordon and Isabelle loved to dance and took ballroom dance lessons for many years. It was very common for the girls to see them dancing around the house practicing a tango or a rumba. They won a 1st, 2nd and 3rd trophy at the Octoberfest here in New Liskeard. They were always a great addition to any party. Gordon passed his love of dancing on to his daughters when he taught them to waltz with them standing on his feet.
Camping and travelling were a big part of the Willard lifestyle. In 1967 they purchased their first camper, a Canadian Tire tent trailer, and took the family to the Calgary stampede. That set the tone for their vacations with their girls and then later as a couple. It was a common neighborhood sight to see Gordon hooking up the trailer or backing it in with his lineman expertise. Later as retirees they hauled their 19 foot travel trailer all over Canada. The grandkids loved camping with Grandpa. Bus tours to Nashville Tennessee, New Orleans, Brandon Missouri and trips to Bahamas with brothers and sisters-in-law were yearly occurrences. Vacations to Scotland with sisters-in-law to see the Wallace homeland and trips to Florida, Hawaii, and Spain were just some places of the world Gordon got to see to indulge his love of family and sightseeing.
As he aged, Gordon slowed down and filled his time with making mouth-watering homemade bread for his great grandkids, doing puzzles, reading and in the summer scooting around town on his electric scooter. His life centered around his family and family get togethers were very common. He said he was a lucky man but his family were the lucky ones to have had him for as many years as they did. As a grandson said, he was lucky to have lived his life independently, in his own home, right to the end. He is now happy to be back with his best friend, catching up on the years and dancing.
Cremation will take place but at this time no service will be held. Memorial donations can be made in Gordon’s memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Community Cancer Care or a charity of your choice.
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