Obituary
Willa was born in Calgary, Alberta, the third daughter of Wilfred and Annie Beeby, named after her father, as they were hoping for a boy. Willa was a free-spirited child who deeply loved animals and the outdoors. Willa’s mother was in poor health after Willa was born, so she spent her first two years with a loving uncle and auntie. On their farm in the Bears Paw area. After Willa’s little brother John was born, she returned to her parent’s home full time. Wanting to get out of the city with their family, Willa’s father bought a quarter section on the outskirts of Calgary, now known as Sunny Side, long before the city had taken over the area. It was then that she got her first horse, Suntan. She quickly made friends with other horsey kids in the community, exploring on horseback the wide-open spaces that are now covered with houses. Willa’s love of horses and being with her horsey friends, they started to compete in gymkhanas and rodeos, including barrel racing, long before the popularity that we know today. Willa was one of the founding members of the CGRA (Cowgirls Rodeo Association) and helped to establish the sport as what we see today.
Willa met and married her first husband, Charles, in 1962; after their marriage, she moved to his ranch in the Pincher Creek area close to the Old Man River on the Cowley flats. She worked at the Pincher Creek Medical clinic. She loved the Pincher Creek area and greatly enjoyed the community’s people, who embraced her as one of their own. In July of 1967, her first daughter Jennifer was born.
In the fall of 1972, Willa married her second husband, Jim Gordon and moved to his ranch west of Stavely. Her second daughter Elizabeth (Margot), was born in Oct of 1973. She joined the Royal Purple Lodge, Rebeca’s and the UCW, eager to be involved in her new community. Willa was enthralled with the local history and could always find any connection between her generation and past generation and blend them together in her own unique way.
Willa’s crowning glory was her family – she was blessed with six grandchildren, Elizabeth’s children; Anthony, Ty, Ryan and Jen-Ann; Jennifer’s children, Donavan and Heather and two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Colter, from her Grandson Donavan and his wife, Brooke. Little Jackson and Colter loving called her GG, short for Great Granma and Grandma Gordon for short. They were all the light of her life, and she treasured them.
Willa loved all the critters that crossed her path. She enjoyed taking sewing classes, ceramics and other adult continuing classes in the evenings.
Most of all, she enjoyed playing the piano, Sunday dinners of roast beef with all the fixings, lilacs, sweet peas, dancing, sherbet and lemon meringue pie.
Willa passed away peacefully surrounded by the ones she loved at the Claresholm General Hospital on June 29th 2022, after a brave battle with cancer. She stayed positive and shared her devoted love for us to her last breath.
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We are deeply sorry for your loss – the staff at Zentner Funeral Homes
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Willafred Beeby Gordon July 13 1933 June 29 2022 (age 88)..
Death notice for the town of: Claresholm, Province: Alberta