Obituary of Leslie Scott Ford

FORD: Leslie Scott Ford, our beloved father and grandfather, died suddenly on February 2, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the age of 73. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1938, Les crossed the Atlantic to work for the Hudson's Bay Company when he was 17. He spent several years working at, and managing, posts all over Labrador, Quebec and Ontario before marrying Shirley (née Hickerson), the woman he loved for 46 years until her death from cancer in 2011. After Shirley passed away, Les moved from Dauphin, Manitoba to Brandon, Manitoba to be near his youngest son Derek, and his wife Joanne and their daughter Sofia. Thanks to them, his books, and his wee terrier Tansi, he lived peacefully and happily as he recovered from his untiring support during Shirley's long illness. A gentle man, thoughtful and considerate, wary of the judgemental and of those who claim certainty, Les accepted people at face value and made all feel at ease. A proud Mason, Les took great satisfaction in his charity work with the Shrine. A proud Scot, he esteemed Robert Burns' poetry, roared with laughter at Billy Connolly's comedy, and beamed with pride listening to his son Alan play the bagpipes. A proud grandfather, Les delighted in his grandchildren as they grew and encouraged their curiosity about the world, made them laugh, and listened attentively to their stories. Les spent the last three weeks of his life in Scotland, with his sisters and their husbands. Les adored his sisters and in his travel pictures, sincere joy emanates from his face. We all take comfort knowing how happy he was to return to his home for a visit. Les is survived by his three sons and their families, Lyle, Lisa and grandson Malcolm; Alan, Gillian, and grandson Graeme; Derek, Joanne and granddaughters Sofia and Freya; his sisters and their families, Vera and Bill Beattie; Alison and George Manson; his large extended family; and an even larger community of friends. A service celebrating his life will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, February 10, 2012 at Central United Church, 327 8th Street, Brandon, Manitoba with Rev. Larry McPhail of Dauphin United Church officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to CancerCare Manitoba, 675 McDermot Avenue, Room ON1160, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0V9 in memory of Shirley Ford.