Gary Leroy FORD

Gary Leroy Ford April 12, 1939 - April 21, 2004 FORD – Gary Leroy – passed away suddenly at Fort Qu’Appelle Hospital on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 at the age of 65 years. Gary is predeceased by his parents, Roy and June Ford. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 35 years, Anita, children, Atina Dawn (Wade) Johnston and their son, Garrett, all of Sherwood Park, AB, Cindy Leanne (Dr. Patrick) Simmons of Moose Jaw, SK; brother, Larry (Tammy) of High River, AB; niece, Shelley Ford and nephew, Kelly Ford, Calgary, AB; aunts, uncles, cousins, family and friends. Gary grew up in the Gray district and farmed there for 45 years. In his early years played baseball, curling and football – playing for the Regina Rams as guard for three years in the late 1950’s. He later curled lead for Bob Pickering, being on provincial Brier teams in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971. He was awarded All-Star Canadian lead several times. He won National Elks Curling Championship as skip in 1967. He coached numerous hockey, ball, and curling teams in the Gray, Riceton, Regina and area. He was inducted into the “306” Community Sports Hall of Fame for participation, builder and coach in April 28, 2002 for baseball, fastball, hockey and curling. Gary moved to Ft. Qu’Appelle in the spring of 2002 to B-Say-Tah area and became an active member of Ft. Qu’Appelle Lions and was on the Board of Directors of the Fort Curling Club and loved the Valley and golfing with family and friends. He was a long time season ticket holder for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and was past Rider Representative for Gray and area. Gary traveled extensively. He went to Nagano, Japan for the 1998 Olympics, Glasgow, Scotland for the 1991 World Junior Curling championships to cheer on his daughters, to Maui, Hawaii for Cindy and Pat’s wedding 3 years ago, to Vernon, B.C. in 2004 for the Canadian Senior Women’s to cheer on his wife of whom he was so proud. “We were all lucky to have had him in our lives!” A FUNERAL SERVICE will be held at Regina Funeral Home, Hwy #1 East on Saturday, April 24, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. with Sharon Davis officiating. A reception will follow in Regina Funeral Home, Arbor Room with interment at Fort Qu’Appelle Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gary’s memory to the Gray Recreation Centre c/o Todd Lewis, Gray, SK S0G 2A0, or to the Ft Qu’Appelle Curling Club, c/o Dick Rathgaber, Ft. Qu’Appelle, SK S0G 1S0.