Gordon Roberts Legge was born September 13, 1925. He was the son of George and Mildred (Emsley) Legge on the Legge Homestead that his grandfather had built in 1900. Gordon received his education at Chatsworth, a one room country school house about four miles from his home. In 1940, he quit school and went to work for his Dad's threshing outfit. He was 15 at the time. He took over the running of the threshing outfit and did custom threshing throughout the district for the next 12 years. In 1945 he went to Saskatoon and took an agricultural course at the University. That was something he really enjoyed. In 1947 he married Ivy Scott, and they built a house in the same yard as his parents. In 1952 he hired a contractor and moved his house and outbuildings out to the main road over a mile east and they set up their own farmyard. They had three children: Judith Elaine, born March 19, 1950, Dianne Lovene, born January 7, 1952, and David Gordon, born November 24, 1954. In 1954, Gordon and Ivy were confirmed at the Castleton United Church by Reverend Moreland. They became regular Church goers, and in fact Gordon served on the Church Board. When the cairn was built in Castleton church yard he was the Chairman of the Church Board. In 1956 when the school unit brought another school into the district, it was placed 3⁄4 of a mile south of the farmyard, and was named Chatsworth B. Gordon became the secretary of the School Board all the time that the school was there. He also served on the curling rink board and was a member of the Chatsworth Snowplough club and served on it as President. He was a member of the bus committee, and director of the Graham telephone company. Above all else, Gordon was a farmer. He loved to get out on the tractor first thing in the spring and go stir the soil up and it just seemed like something he had to do. He was always busy knocking down bush, clearing land, making the fields bigger and constantly expanding. By the time he got finished he had eight quarters and they were pretty well all broke up. He also had a nice herd of Hereford cattle that he was proud of. They seemed to suit him just fine. In 1969 after the sudden passing of his wife Ivy at age 42, he found the courage and strength to carry on. In 1972 Gordon married Winnifred Kilgour who loved and supported him in his farming operation. She had a daughter, Bonnie, and later Gordon and Winnie had a son named Robert. Robbie passed away suddenly when he was only 1 1⁄2 years old. Once again he needed strength and courage. Gordon continued farming without much interruption for the next number of years. His life wasn't all work though - in his early years Gordon loved to play ball. If there was a picnic on, nothing pleased him more than to get into a softball game where he would usually play shortstop. He was also an avid curler. He curled in Chatsworth for a number of years until it closed down and then he curled in Saltcoats with the seniors. In later years he enjoyed watching sports on TV especially Rider Games in football season, and hockey and curling in the winter months. He also loved hunting and he usually took two weeks off every fall to hunt for deer with his friends. Above all else, Gordon was happiest in the company of his children and grandchildren, planning activities they would enjoy: sleigh rides and building bale forts, taking trips around the farm in his trucks to check out the cattle, crops and visits to the old homestead. While he was driving he'd tell them stories. He liked visiting with extended family and friends whether it was at a farmhouse, coffee house or the lake. When he was 70 he decided to sell his cattle, and grain farmed for the next five years. His optometrist had told him that he had Macular Degeneration and would soon lose his eyesight. When he was 75 he had an auction sale on April 17, 2000, and sold all his machinery along with the farm. He had just bought a house in Yorkton, and they were living there the very next day! He soon had to give up his drivers licence because of his failing eyesight. He travelled by Taxi or Bus after that and liked to keep busy with other projects which included typing the history of the Chatsworth Schools, writing stories for the Senior Newspaper, working in his yard and garden and tinkering in the garage. It was amazing what he could do with such limited vision. His life line in the evenings was his telephone calls to family and many friends. He was predeceased by his father in 1977 and mother in 1995, his first wife, Ivy and his sister, Beatrice Maddaford both in 1969, his infant son, Robert Colin in 1975, son-in-law, Guy Thompson in 1989 and step granddaughter, Carolyn Focht in 2002. He is survived by his loving wife, Winnie, daughters, Judith (Don) Hershmiller, Balcarres and Dianne Thompson, Regina and son, David (Karen) Legge, Yorkton; step daughter, Bonnie Thomas, Yorkton, ten grandchildren, Kelly (Tim) Bray, Keith (Lana) Hershmiller, Tenille (Sheldon) Ziegenhagel, Hugh Thompson, Krista (Curtis) Vandermeulen, Lindsay (Troy) Perry, Holly Legge, Carrissa (Bryce) Kurtz, Colin and Maryanne Focht as well as ten great grandchildren, Morgan and Maddie Bray, Sydney Hershmiller, Xavier Thompson, Kade Vandermeulen, Gavin and Carter Perry, Christine, Matthew and James Kurtz. Gordon passed away peacefully on Christmas Day 2011. He was a loving husband, father, uncle, grandfather, great grandfather and friend. The appreciation of the land and animals was a lifelong passion. All that knew him will miss his love, laughter, and sense of humour. Funeral Services were held on Thursday, December 29, 2011 from the Saltcoats Community Hall in Saltcoats, SK with Reverend Walter Farquharson officiating. The organist, Mrs. Ruth Datema, led the congregation and members of the Saltcoats United Church Choir and Friends in the singing of the hymns, "Those Hearts That We Have Treasured", "Give to Us Laughter", "God Whose Farm is all Creation". The choir sang two selections, "Amazing Grace" and the recessional music, "God Will Take Care of You". The interment followed in the Saltcoats Town Cemetery with Fred Cross, George Murray, Tory Tangendal, Rudy Tangendal, Ken Trowell and Jack Devins serving as the casket bearers. Friends so wishing may forward their condolences to the family by visiting www.christiesfuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Christie's Funeral Home & Crematorium, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
