FRANCIS GERALD (JERRY) WHITFIELD

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FRANCIS GERALD (JERRY) WHITFIELD November 8, 1912 November 15, 2008 Peacefully, on Saturday, November 15, 2008, Francis Gerald (Jerry) Whitfield passed away at the age of 96 years. Surviving to celebrate Jerry's long and wonderful life are brother Bud (Doreen); daughter Wendy (John Dunlop); granddaughter Haleen (Ian Johnston); great-granddaughters Sarah and Genevieve; grandsons Jay (Gina) and Andrew (Lisa); great-granddaughter Abigail; son Greg (Cathy), granddaughters Melanie (Martin Young) and Jennifer; and son Michael (Tish); as well as numerous nieces and nephews, relatives and friends. Special thanks to Grace whose company and daily long distance phone calls added quality to his final years. Jerry was predeceased by his loving wife of 58 years Doretta, brothers Ed, and Jack, sisters Della and Ruby. Jerry was the third of six children born to Francis Augustus and Ruby Norah Whitfield (nee Neate). The family farmed outside Indian Head at Condie, Saskatchewan, and later moved to Regina to manage a corner grocery store. At age seven, because of his father's health, Jerry and family moved to Nelson, BC and ran the Star Grocery on Baker Street. Later the family went into real estate. In March of 1930 Jerry joined the Imperial Bank of Canada (now CIBC) in Nelson to provide for the family during those difficult years. Later he was transferred to Banff where he took the payrolls to the miners in Golden and Natal. He was transferred to Calgary, where on July 13, 1940 he surprised his long time sweetheart Doretta (nee Norris) whom he'd invited for a visit on the pretext of seeing the Calgary Stampede by proposing to her and getting married. In September of 1942 Jerry joined the Navy for the duration of hostilities according to his records, and was posted to Victoria, Halifax, Ottawa, and Vancouver. After the war he returned to Calgary where he returned to the bank. He was transferred to the Western Superintendents Department in Winnipeg, but being a people person asked for a branch manager's position at Portage and Spruce. He retired from his duties with the bank in 1978, and the branch was closed shortly thereafter. He was a member of Mount Lebanon Masonic Lodge of Calgary. Jerry and Doretta spent their retirement playing with grandchildren, summers gardening, and autumns towing their trailer to BC to be with family. In accordance with Jerry's wishes, cremation has taken place; with a celebration of his life to take place in summer 2009 in the Kootneys of British Columbia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jerry's memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to CancerCare Manitoba.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 22, 2008