GORDON ERNEST MAXWELL

Our beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather left us peacefully on December 15, 2018 at 94 years.

Dad was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Margaret (Maggie) in 2017, and his youngest daughter, Lizabeth in 2000, his parents, and sisters; Dorothy, Maureen and Millie. Gordon is survived by his four daughters; Lynne (Errol) Sokoloski, Lee (Peter) Mohr, Lesley (David) Leonhardt, Lorril Vielfaure. Also mourning his loss are his grandchildren; Kelly (Jonathan) Courtney, Ashleigh (Sheldon) Wiebe, Jenna (Blair) Irwin, Jessica (Todd) Grywinski, Jacqueline Mohr, Joel Leonhardt, Scott, Marc and Nicole Vielfaure, as well as seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

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Born and raised in Elmwood, Dad grew up on Harbison  Avenue.  He was the youngest of the four siblings. Having grown up near the river, every summer he and his father would boat to the family cottage at Grand Marais, with their annual overnight campout at Lockport. Dad was one of the early members of the Kildonan Canoe Club where he paddled on the river and “canoodled” with his future bride, Margaret. With his love of boats, it’s no surprise that at the outbreak of WW II, an under-aged Gordon ran off and joined the Navy/Merchant Marines to serve as a ship’s gunner in the South Pacific.

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After his service, Gordon worked at the CP Railway as a timekeeper for a short while before taking a successful sales position at Stovel Advocate Press (Lawson Graphics) up until his retirement in 1982.

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Countless family memories were made swimming, waterskiing and “rolling rocks” to clear Maxwell’s Rock Ridge at his beloved Falcon Lake cabin where the phrase “work ‘til noon and then play”, was coined. All the daughters are great swimmers as Gordon was a member of the Board of Directors at the EK-YMCA and taught swimming lessons for many years. Pulling skis, ping pong tournaments in the boathouse and barbqueing on the water’s edge made up the summer days at the lake. Evenings were spent playing cards, Liar’s Dice, and charades, and though he couldn’t carry a tune in a wheel barrow, we all sang.  His trademark song will always be, Alice Blue Gown, accompanied by peals of laughter.

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In his retirement, Mom and Dad split their time between Falcon, their home at 120 in EK, and Pinnacle Port, Florida.  Dad was always very active;  golfing at Falcon with the 3M’s (Mussell, Myers and Maxwell) and  the senior men’s group at Kildonan Golf Course, organizing tournaments in golf, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and other activities while wintering in Florida. In the off-season between summers at  Falcon and winters in Florida, Dad dedicated decades as a volunteer at the Christmas Cheer Board. In his quiet time, he would carve wooden replicas of North American birds. Bridge was a talent he developed with his “Dirty Dozen” Bridge Club in the 1950’s-70’s and continued to play with friends at Concordia Village up until his hospital stay in October.

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Dad, you will be missed and will forever be in our hearts.

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At Dad’s request, there will be no formal service.  He will be laid to rest alongside his beloved wife and daughter at a later date. 

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The family would like to thank the caregivers at Concordia Village Assisted Living and the Concordia Hospital for the care and well-being of our father.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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