Donald Harold James Farr, age 87, died peacefully on Wednesday, May 1st, 2019 in the Strathroy Middle General Hospital. Don was born on June 7th, 1931 in Brant, Ontario and grew up with his five siblings, Hazel, Tom, Dorothy, Ivan, and Edith.
Don [Cowboy] grew up in rural Ontario where he discovered how to work on a farm at an early age, and his love of tractors. Don also loved motorcycles, and at the tender age of 16, he heeded the call to “Go West Young Man” and traveled across the prairies of Canada to the United States. Don rode the rails and was first employed at Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus as a machine operator. He then learned how to operate heavy equipment and worked all across the United States building dams, bridges, and highways. One of his proudest achievements as a Master Crane Operator was working on building the Niagara Power Plant. He then settled in Pinckney, Michigan and operated an excavating business for a number of years. After moving back to Canada in 1977, Don settled in Ipperwash, Ontario, where he remained until his death. Don was well-known to the locals as “Cowboy” or “The Tractor Guy”.
Along with tractors and motorcycles, Don loved horses, old western movies and yodeling cowboys. He also loved nature and was very protective of all the little birds on his property. A self-made man and a unique individual, anyone who knew him would agree that he should have been born in 1831, not 1931.
Don is dearly missed by his daughters Sherry, Margaret, Serena, Sarah, and Rebecca. He lived life simply and fully…may he rest in peace.
A memorial visitation for Don will take place at Gilpin Funeral Chapel, 123 King Street in Forest, 519-786-4964 on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, from 2-5pm. Please share a memory or condolence at www.GilpinFuneralChapel.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Donald Harold James Cowboy Farr 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Forest, Province: Ontario