Douglas GILL

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GILL: Douglas Harland Gill passed away October 13, 2011 at the Riverdale Personal Care Home in Rivers. Doug was born December 2, 1929, second child, eldest son of Arthur and Bessie (Harland) Gill on the Gill farm in the RM of Blanshard, homesteaded by his grandfather in 1881. He attended a small one room schoolhouse, Medina, near the farm, and then finished high school in Cardale. He attended U of M and received a diploma in Agriculture. June 14, 1952, Doug married Eunice Joiner of Rossburn and they purchased the farm from his father. They had a grain and livestock operation which eventually involved a 2000 bird layer barn. The egg business was a vital link to the success of the farm and enabled the purchase of a good line of modern equipment. A fair amount of effort was put into making the farm more productive. Doug was a Smith Roles agent. When they purchased an adjoining 1/4 section of land, they acquired an old farmhouse. They decided to renovate the old house and had it moved to Rossman Lake to be used as a family cabin. The hours of work paid off as time at the lake, near the golf course, made for a lot of good times with family and friends in that area. Doug and Eunice had four children, Ken, twins Gaye and Grant and Norma. Inglewood Farm became a Century Farm in 1981 with Grant, the 4th generation Gill descendant on the farm. Doug enjoyed golfing, playing pool, barbershop singing and playing the baritone in the Rivers Brass Band. Doug was a member of the Lion’s Club in Rivers and Duncan, B.C. They went on bus tours to California, Florida and the Bahamas. Eunice died as a result of injuries from a gas explosion which occurred while they were completing their retirement home in 1981. He was a Councillor and Reeve for the RM of Blanshard and Mayor of Rivers. Doug also travelled to Washington DC, New Orleans, Texas and England. He married Edith Zienkiewicz in 1985 and retired to British Columbia. He returned to Rivers every summer to help out with the harvest but was easily persuaded to go golfing if the opportunity arose. Doug moved back to Rivers in 2004 and moved into one of the condos built by the Lion’s Club. He remained there until a time when he required further care and resided for a short time in the Birtle Health Centre before returning to the Riverdale Personal Care Home. He was predeceased by his parents Arthur and Bessie Gill, wife Eunice Gill, sister Ruth Gill, brother Murray Gill, nephew Ward Gill, brothers- in-law Marshall Dupuis, John Brownridge and Russell Millard, Bill Joiner, Sterling Veitch, Rowatt Veitch, Dave Cleland and sister-in-law Margaret Cleland. He is survived by his son Ken, daughter Gaye Loree (Darrell), son Grant (Terry) and daughter Norma. He is survived by seven grandchildren, Doug (Tracey), Lindsay and Stacy Loree, Nick Gill (Debra) and Wesley, Emily and Cory Gill. He is also survived by two great-granddaughters, Sienna and Jaslyn Cyca-Loree. Doug is survived by siblings Doreen Millard, Shirley Dupuis, Marjorie Brownridge and Stan Gill (Audrey) as well as Eunice’s brother Doug Joiner (Pauline) and sisters-in-law Olive Veitch and Lorna Veitch. The Ceremony to Celebrate Doug’s Life will be held at the Rivers United Church on Saturday, October 22, 2011 (today) at 2:00 p.m. Rev. Glenna Beauchamp will officiate. Honorary pallbearers are Bob and Charlotte MacDonald, Bill Citulsky, Gerald and Nola Shier, Donna Bate and Doreen Bate. A private family interment will be held at the Pettapiece Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Riverdale Community Complex, Box 365, Rivers, Manitoba, R0K 1X0 or a charity of choice. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.memorieschapel.com.Arrangements are with Memories Chapel & Pre-Planning Centre, 727-0330.

As published in Brandon Sun on Oct 22, 2011