ROSS RICHARDSON

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ROSS RICHARDSON Ross left us on January 18, 2006 after a four year fight with cancer. Ross was born in Winnipeg on December 12, 1945 and grew up in Wildwood Park. He was schooled at St. Ignatius School, St. Paul's College and Vincent Massey Collegiate. Ross played his favourite sport, football, for the Fort Garry Lions bantam, midget and juvenile football teams. The skill Ross displayed as a Lion earned him a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota, where he earned a B.Sc. in Phys Ed and a M.Sc. in Recreation. Ross's gridiron talent caught the eye of the Winnipeg Blue Bomber organization and he was signed to a rookie contract in 1969 upon graduation from UND. Ross played three years for the Bombers, his lifelong favourite team, from 1969-71, before successive knee injuries prematurely ended his promising career. Following the end of his football career, Ross put his already evident leadership and organizational skills to good use in a successful career as a recreation director, first in Selkirk, MB, and then in Kelowna, Vancouver, and Coquitlam, BC. While in Kelowna, Ross met and married Janice Koga, and together they had a beautiful daughter, Lee Emiko, now a 14 year-old hockey player. In 2001, while operating the Koga family apple orchard, Ross learned he had cancer, and from then until his recent passing, he fought the disease with good humour, courage, and a positive attitude. He is now enjoying a well-deserved rest, and is at peace. Ross is survived by his loving wife Janice, daughter Lee, and the Koga clan; his beloved mother Loretta; brothers Dan, Tim (Laura) and Mike; sisters Jude (Mike) and Laurie; and by his nephews and nieces, Tim, Kate, Zoe, Jessie, Matthew and Kailey. Ross was predeceased by his father John Ross (Jack) Richardson and by his step-father Jack Kendrick. A service to celebrate Ross's life was held in Kelowna, BC on January 23, 2006. Friends in Winnipeg who wish to remember Ross may do so with a donation in his name to the Canadian Cancer Society, 193 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 28, 2006