W. GORDON FANSTONE

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

W. GORDON FANSTONE On Saturday, February 5, 2005 with his wife Rose by his side, Gordon passed peacefully away at Tuxedo Villa, his last home, at the age of 97 years. Gordon was born in 1907 in Burgess Hill, England and moved to Transcona in 1913. In 1937 he married his longtime sweetheart, Rose Harford. After living in Transcona, Rose and Gord moved to Winnipeg with their young family. Gordon worked as a machinist in the Transcona C.N.R. Shops before being hired by Trans-Canada Airlines in 1938 were he retired as Supt. of Power Plant Overhall in 1968. During the Depression Gord was a taxi driver in Transcona and a gold mine machinist at Red Lake, ON. He and Rose had a very happy and active life before and after retirement. Gordon recited Robert Service poems and composed his own limericks. His hobbies included golfing, bowling, attending Blue Bomber games, boat racing, fixing outboard motors, inventing and playing crib. Rose and Gordon always spent summers at their favourite place, Malachi, ON, where Gord loved fishing, working on the cottage and in his workshop. He loved people, always finding time to visit with friends and family and lend a helping hand to anyone needing an outboard motor fixed, spare parts or mechanical advice. As a Cub Scout, Gordon and brother Cy went camping at Malachi, his dad Bill was a Boy Scout Bugle Master. His parents built their first cottage at Malachi in 1930. Gord was a member of Headingly United Church, a lifetime member of St. James Masonic Lodge and a Shriner from 1968 to 2003. He was a wonderful husband, dad, grampa and great-grampa and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Gordon was predeceased by his father, mother and brother Cy. He is survived by his wife Rose; daughters, Helen (Jim) of Mission, BC and Pat (Dan) of Willis of Texas and Winnipeg; son Jim (Marie) of Victoria, BC; grandchildren, Glenn (Karen), Janine (Brett), Lorne (Aimee) and Dean; great-grandchildren, Alysha, Robyn, Dimika and Cameron. Thanks to Tuxedo Villa staff, with special thanks to Station One. A memorial celebration will be held at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 15 at Neil Bardal Inc., 984 Portage Ave., Aubrey Street entrance. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, donations may be made to a favourite charity or the Garden of Memories of Headingly United Church, 110 Bridge Rd., Headingly, MB R0H 0J0. Keep Smilin NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 12, 2005