LESLIE FRANCIS GIRLING (LES)

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LESLIE FRANCIS GIRLING

It is with great sadness that our family announces the passing of Leslie Francis Girling, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, father of Linda (Tim), Cynthia (Ron) and Bill (Linda), grandfather to Julie, Katie (James), Mark, Kimberly, Lesley and Cameron (Erin) and great-grandfather to Reid. Les was predeceased by his wife Doreen in 2016.
Les was born on August 8, 1922 and came from very humble beginnings, being raised on his family's farm during the Dirty Thirties in Biggar, Saskatchewan.
Les voluntarily served in the Second World War at the young age of 18, as a navigator in the Royal Air Force, flying missions in North Africa and Asia in a Catalina aircraft. Later in his life, Les shared some of the stories about his time in the war, including his battle with malaria whilst serving in Africa; one of the many challenges he overcame in life.
He went on to become a very successful Interior Designer, putting himself through design school in New York soon after the war and then establishing his first career with Eaton's Contract Sales Department until 1963, when he made the decision to start his own business. Les built a highly successful design firm, LF Girling & Associates which he managed for the next 45 years, with notable clients such as Champs Foods, Paul's Hauling, Rae & Jerry's restaurant (which to this day retains some of his original designs) and many schools, convention centres and restaurants across Canada and the US.
One of his great achievements was establishing the family cottage at Jessica Lake, which he built himself in the early 1960s, with the help of a carpenter friend. Many family memories were established over the 30 years that followed at the lake. Les also built two of the family's homes; one of which was his dream project; a log house on Roscoe Road near Bird's Hill Park.
Les was an ardent outdoorsman, spending much of his leisure time hunting, fishing, training and field trialing Springer Spaniels. As one of the founding members of the English Springer Spaniel Club in Manitoba, he went on to train over a dozen springer spaniels, some of which went on to be North American field trial champions. Les also worked with conservation specialists to establish the Sharptails Plus Foundation, a non-for-profit stewardship group devoted to building support and public awareness of habitat enhancement for sharptail grouse in Manitoba.
In his later years, nothing pleased Les more than going fishing in his boat with his son-in-law Tim as the guide and his son Bill. Only a few days before he went into hospital, Les landed a trophy size Walleye in Lake of the Woods, his favourite place to be in fishing season.
Les was also an excellent golfer, and as a lifetime member of Niakwa Country Club since 1950, he built numerous relationships and lifelong friendships. A lasting memory will be of Les and Bill playing a round of golf only one month prior to his death, a testament to the strong, vibrant person he was his whole life. Les lived independently in his own house until his hospitalization and never missed going to the Reh-Fit Centre.
Bill, Linda and Cynthia would like to acknowledge the efforts of the medical team at Grace Hospital for their professional care and compassion over his final two weeks.
A celebration of his life will be held at Niakwa Country Club on Tuesday, July 30 beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Flowers gratefully declined. In lieu, the family asks that donations be given to Fort Whyte Alive or a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 27, 2019