Obituary of Frank Gillmor Stevens Hibbard

Our Papa, Frank Hibbard, passed away suddenly on Thursday, February 26, 2009, while on a holiday with Nana in the States. He was born in Sheet Harbour, NS and grew up in eastern Ontario with his two sisters, June and Elizabeth Ann. He graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Toronto in 1961, and worked for Imperial Oil for 28 years. He met our Nana when they were 12 years old in Bancroft, ON, but they didn’t get married until they were 23. They were true childhood sweethearts, and he often called her his “Bride”, but mostly they just called each other “Dovey”. Their kids, Steve and Laurie, were born in Toronto, but the family moved to Alberta in 1978. Laurie married Len Marchand in 1991 and Steve married Laurie Podiluk in 1993, and that’s where the story gets interesting because after that is when the five of us grandsons came along: Miles, Noah and Keegan Marchand and Wolf and Quinn Hibbard. Papa was a huge part of our lives. We travelled a lot together, and we especially loved our trips to Mexico. Papa was very proud of us and our accomplishments. He and Nana loved to watch us play our many sports. We loved seeing the photos of Nana and Papa’s many retirement trips and travels all over the world, and hearing the stories. Papa was a great story-teller and had an awesome sense of humour. He had other interests besides us though. He loved golfing, computers, wine, great books, suduko, “wing night”, the Flames, playing cribbage and bridge, and his many, many friends. We hope we can all grow up to be as great and as loved as our Papa. We will miss him so much. A memorial service in celebration of our Papa’s life will be celebrated at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 – 14th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549, www.heartandstroke.ca. In living memory of Frank Hibbard, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403) 243-8200.