Gordon Childs

It is with a heavy heart, that we announce the passing of Gordon Lyle Childs on July 6, 2022 at the age of 86. The son of Clinton and Mary (Davidson) Childs, Gordon is survived by the love of his life, Francis (Furtah). Gord and Fran started their life in a small apartment in Blenheim before moving to Wallaceburg in the late 50’s. The two were married for over 65 years, travelling the world, and living life to the fullest. From their humble beginnings on Wallace Street, to their backyard home on Bruce Street, to Water Street and the upstairs apartment, the coffee pot was always on, and the door was always open. Dad and mom were great hosts and loved company. Gord is survived by his son Mark (Deb), daughter Michelle (Barry), and his two daughters-in-law, Dianne, and Theresa. Gord was brother to Don Childs (Berneida) and his sisters-in-law, Mary Childs, Margaret Furtah, and Marlene Watson. Predeceased by his son Michael, his brothers Morris, Ern and Harold, sisters Evelyn, Marion and Helen and in-laws Gerald Babcock, Jim Smith, Lloyd Eves, Mildred Childs, Helen Childs, Jack Watson, and Ron Furtah. Gord is also survived my seven grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and dozens of amazing nieces and nephews and their spouses. Dad had many careers during his life, starting with a job as a meat cutter at Joe’s Meat Market in Dresden. From there, he went to the Taskey Supermarket in Amherstburg, landing eventually to Hazzards Meat Market in Wallaceburg. Dad started with Metropolitan Life in the late 50’s, switching to State Farm a short time later. Dad’s biggest move came when he convinced mom to buy the Primrose Gardens. To help ends meet, dad drove school bus and a chip truck while growing the business. The Primrose led to Fran’s Catering, which led to the purchase of the Oaks Inn in 1984. Gord was an avid sports fan, cheering for the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) most of his life. He had the pleasure of meeting Bob Feller once, and the picture of the two of them is on display at the Goose. Gord was born in Dawn Township, just outside of Dresden. He was the youngest of 8 children and spent a great deal of his time with his older sister, Evelyn. Gord was an excellent student, skipping not one grade but two, leaving school early to pursue a career in the food industry. Gord was always up for a game of euchre, crib, and, at one time, poker. Tuesday poker nights at the Primrose often continued into the next morning. Another passion of Gord’s was baseball. Whether playing or watching, he loved the game. He loved stirring up trouble at the ballpark, often getting tossed from the game. Back in those days, you had to arrive early to find a seat. The bleachers were always full. Perhaps the biggest passion of Gord’s was helping the community, friends, or family. Dad and mom started the Salvation Army luncheon back in 1969. The Hearty Soup Luncheon followed years later, along with dozens of other philanthropy projects that he and mom were involved with. Dad was a founding father of the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame and over the years, contributed to hundreds of worthwhile causes. He was a coach, a mentor, an advisor, and a man that was not afraid to speak his mind, but most importantly he was a husband, a father, and a grandfather. As his health deteriorated, he was more concerned about mom than he was himself, claiming it was no longer fair to either one of them. His final wishes were simple: Look after your mom, stop all treatment, and get me home to pass. The look of joy on his face when he was being brought into the house was remarkable. The odds that he would see his birthday were not good, yet this man fought right until the end, with his family by his side as he drew his final breath. Many people come and go, but no man is, or ever will be, as unique as Gordon Lyle Childs. Rest easy dad and say hi to Mike and the rest of the family. Love Fran, Mark, Michelle, Dianne, and our families. Due to the number of family and close friends, the funeral service and celebration of Gord’s life will be invitation only events. The HAYCOCK-CAVANAGH FUNERAL HOME, 409 Nelson Street in Wallaceburg has been entrusted with the arrangements. If desired, memorial donations to the Salvation Army may be left at the funeral home 519.627.3231. Shared memories may be left at www.CavanaghFuneralHome.ca