It is with great sadness that the family of Gordie Shrumm announces his passing, at the age of 64, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at Rainycrest Long-Term Care Home in Fort Frances, Ont.
Gordie was born in Emo, Ont. on Nov. 24, 1953 to Clarence and Anne Shrumm of Stratton, Ont. He grew up on the family farm, where he learned to operate all types of machinery at a very young age.
He also belonged to the local 4-H group for a number of years. He raised cows, grew vegetables, and helped in the 4-H booth at the annual Emo Fair. He always bragged about how they always made the best homemade fries.
He began his working career with his brother, Dan, trapping and selling minnows to the local bait shop. He quit high school in Grade 11 to work as a carpenter helper for John Smits.
He also had a love of trucks, so he opted to quit carpentry and work for Harold McQuaker and others before striking out on his own and buying his own tandem truck.
In the summer of 1983, he was working with Keith Hele Trucking in Nestor Falls, Ont. where he met Lee Valliant. They were married on April 14, 1984.
After marriage, Gordie decided he didn’t want to be working away from home so he resumed his carpentry career in the Nestor Falls area. He was especially glad he did once their daughter, Pam, was born.
He worked on many homes, private cabins, and camps building or remodelling them throughout the years. He also acquired a very large collection of tools. Everyone knew they could call to borrow something because “Gordie would have one.”
Gordie loved to curl. He spent many winter weekends bonspieling in Stratton, Emo, Rainy River, Fort Frances, and Nestor Falls either with the guys or his family. In the summer, weekends were spent at his mom and dad’s cabin in Bergland, Ont. visiting with family and friends.
In 1993, Gordie opened an ice road and ice house business in Nestor Falls. He loved to plow the ice roads. He always was the first one on the ice and the last off. There were three times that he pushed his luck a little too far and put the truck through the ice . . . riding two of them all the way to the bottom. Good thing his trucks were full of junk because he was able to follow the debris back to the surface.
He spent 23 years running Gordie’s Ice Road, not because he liked to fish but he loved to visit with all the people on the lake.
He also loved to go hunting with his friends and, later in life, with Pam and her husband, Chris. Many great memories were made during these outings.
In June, 2015, Gordie had a stroke and he lived the rest of his life at Rainycrest LTC in Fort Frances. The highlights of his life were visits from friends and family, especially his two grandchildren, Jaxon and Charlee. They always managed to put a smile on his face.
He spent most of his days in his room but became more social in the evenings, either by spending time in the Activation Room with “Daisy, the rabbit” or by enjoying the occasional “Midnight Pizza Party” at the nursing station on the East Wing with some of his favourite staff members.
Gordie will be greatly missed by his wife, Lee; daughter, Pam and her husband, Chris; and grandkids, Jaxon and Charlee.
He also will be mourned by his mother-in-law, Doris Valliant; and nieces, Danielle Shrumm (Jeremy) and Jennifer Molodowich (Steve) and his nephew, Darren Shrumm (Danielle), and their families.
He was predeceased by his brother, Dan; parents, Clarence and Anne; and father-in-law, Ron Valliant.
Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Northridge Funeral Home in Emo.
In memoriam, donations can be made to Fort Frances Friends of Animals or the Rainy River District 4-H Association c/o Northridge Funeral Home, P.O. Box 89, Emo, Ont., P0W 1E0.
Online condolences may be offered at www.northridgefuneralhome.com
GORDON RALPH SHRUMM
