GILCHRIST, THOMAS JOHN “TOM” PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY SURROUNDED BY HIS FAMILY AT HIS DAUGHTERS HOME NEAR BROOKS, ALBERTA JANUARY 23, 1997 AT THE AGE OF 69 YEARS.
TOM WAS BORN MAY 2, 1927 AT HIGH RIVER, ALBERTA AND GREW UP ON THE FAMILY FARM NEAR CAYLEY, ALBERTA. THOMAS STARTED AS A RANCH HAND FOR LOCAL RANCHERS AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN YEARS. HE LIVED WITH HIS PARENTS FOR A SHORT TIME IN CALGARY, THOMAS CONTINUED TO WORK AS A RANCH HAND UNTIL GETTING A JOB WITH HOME OIL THEN HE MOVED
AND WORKED AS A GAS PLANT OPERATOR. HE MARRIED VIOLET HARTELL IN 1949 AND THEY RESIDED AT MILLERVILLE UNTIL NOVEMBER I955. HE MOVED TO YOUNGSTOWN TO BEGIN RANCHING WITH HIS PARTNER WALTER BURNEY, THEY PURCHASED THE ANDERSON HOMESTEAD TWO AND A HALF MILES NORTH OF TOWN. TOM RAN 250 MOTHER HEREFORD COWS ON THE RANCH PLUS BACKGROUNDED YEARLINGS ON THE HARD GRASS OF THE REGION. IN 1975 DUE TO ILL HEALTH, TOM MOVED TO CHAMPION WHERE HIS SISTER AND MOTHER WERE LIVING, HE RESIDED THERE FOR THE NEXT TWENTY-TWO YEARS, WORKING IN THE ARENA AND HELPING LOCAL FARMERS AT HARVEST TIME. THE PAST NINE YEARS THOMAS HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT HIS DAUGHTER ANITA’S NEAR BROOKS WHERE HE BOUGHT AND RAISED QUARTER HORSES WITH HIS TWO YOUNGEST DAUGHTERS.
THOMAS WAS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE HE LIVED, 4-H BEEF IN YOUNGSTOWN AND WHILE IN CHAMPION HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE CHAMPION ROPING AND RIDING ASSOCIATION. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, CHAMPION BRANCH, AND HELPED IN THE RESTORATION OF THE LEGION HALL.
THOMAS IS SURVIVED BY THREE DAUGHTERS HEATHER (WAYNE) SHANNON OF HAZLET, SASKATCHEWAN, DIANNE (MARVIN) QUASCHNICK OF HANNA AND ANITA (RUSS) WEBB OF BROOKS, TWO SONS JOHN (ARLENE) GILCHRIST OF YOUNGSTOWN AND STAN (KATHY) GILCHRIST OF BLUFFTON, FIFTEEN GRANDCHILDREN, TANIS, CORALINE, TRAVIS, KYLE, NATASHA, CARLA, CODY,
TENNIELLE, TAMARA, RYAN, RUSTY, COLE, KOLTON, MEGAN AND COURTNEY, HIS FORMER WIFE VIOLET GILCHRIST OF HANNA AND BROTHER ROBERT (VERNA) OF KAMLOOPS.
THOMAS WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS HENRY AND ALICE, A BROTHER BILL, A SISTER BETTY SLETTO AND A GRANDDAUGHTER CHANTELLE.
FUNERAL SERVICE TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 1997 AT 2 P.M AT CHAMPION UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. DON WATT OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT CHAMPION CEMETERY FIELD OF HONOUR.
HONOUR GUARD WERE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION; MURRAY SCOTT, DOREEN TOKER, BRIAN FATH, HOWARD HAGG, DAVE CAUSEY AND GORDON HEGLAND.
CASKET BEARERS LES KRASMAN, WAYNE SHANNON, ROGER SMITH, MARVIN QUASCHNICK, RUSS WEBB AND GRANT WOLFE.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL TRIBUTES IN THOMAS’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE BETHANY LIFE LINE 1001-17 ST. N.W. CALGARY T2N 2E5 OR THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
VULCAN FUNERAL HOME DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 1-403-485-2633.