Gordon McCracken

William Gordon McCracken

Born January 22nd, 1937.

Died March 31st, 2025.

Gord was born in his grandmother’s house in Eden, Manitoba to Jack and Edith (nee McCallum). As the story goes, Eden was named by a Great-Great-Grandmother (or Great-Great-Great Aunt?). Whether the name was in appreciation for the beauty of the prairies - or a sarcastic joke - is likely dependant on whether it was named in June or January. Regardless, Gord grew up on a farm north of Neepawa surrounded by grandparents and aunts & uncles and cousins.

Gord went to Stoney Creek School where he got his first nickname. Something about a play and a kiss and a hat – someone shouted, “that’s a corker”. So, he was called Corky for some time after. Gord went to Neepawa for High School but never graduated. There was a disagreement with a teacher – the details remain unclear – but Gord was a stubborn guy - so he quit school never to return. But he never stopped learning.  

Gord played with the Neepawa Cubs in the early 1950’s for which he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

In 1953, Gord went to the west coast to visit his Uncle Bill for a couple of weeks. He stayed for 12 years. He got a job at the lumber yard where he learned many of the skills that served him for most of his life. Gord would always notice things that could be fixed or improved – “but we won’t know until we get that wall open”. 

Gord met the love of his life, Donna Kennedy, at a high school basketball game. They married July 25th, 1959, in Port Coquitlam, BC. Gord wore a white sportscoat and a pink carnation. Their first daughter, Valerie was born in January 1961. Gord designed and built their first house in Port Coquitlam. It’s still there.

Gord became big brother to Chuck and Kim. He worked with his father-in-law at Prairie BA. Although he never learned to swim, he had married into a family that loved the lake, so he even went water skiing – with both a life vest and a life belt. He went to help Chuck shop for a car, but Gord came home to Donna with a brand new 1964 Ford Fairlane off the dealership floor. After all, it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

A farm boy wants to farm; so, in 1966 they bought a farm north of Neepawa and moved back to the Prairies. It is amazing that Gord was able to convince his city-girl wife to move to a farm with no indoor plumbing. Her parents helped to get waterworks in the farmhouse which was surely appreciated by Donna and little Valerie. That introduced Donna to the Sneddens and Neepawa Plumbing & Heating where she would later work. Elaine was born during harvest September 1968. Gord added a large addition to the house on the farm later that he designed and built himself.

Gord loved to curl. While in Neepawa he skipped his team to win the mixed club championship four (4) years in a row. He participated in the Manitoba Seniors Provincial Championship five (5) times and once more in B.C. He gave his time to the Neepawa Curling Club Executive for multiple years and was Club President twice. For many years, the Boxing Day Bonspiel included Team McCracken with Gord skipping for Donna, Valerie, and Elaine.  Although there was a year or two when other family came around and teams were split into the in-laws (married a McCracken) and the outlaws (born a McCracken).

Gord cared about community. He was a member of the Neepawa Elks and volunteered to run bingos and gave a lot of input to the building of Elk’s Manor. He was always available for a neighbour who needed an extra hand. He coached girls’ softball when he could and tried to be at all the games for Valerie and Elaine. Gord drove school bus and was called Mr. Bus Driver by the neighbours’ kids.

After 30 years on the farm, they sold out in 1992. Gord managed the Elk’s Manor 55+ Apartments in Neepawa for three years before they moved to Sorrento, BC in the Shuswap.

Their place in the Shuswap was the “go-to” summer vacation spot. Although retired from farming, he needed to get dirt under his fingernails. Gord spent hours working on the yard making it a flowery showplace that was appreciated by neighbours, family, and strangers walking by. He made several “tent spots” that were nice and flat for the family and friends that came to visit. He added a stand-alone bathroom from a recycled shed – with a hot shower and all the amenities. All were welcome to stop and stay.

All the nieces and nephews….and great-nieces and great nephews… called them AD and UG (Auntie Donna and Uncle Gord). But to Kim, Gord was “Mac”. Gord was a proud Grandfather, Grandpa, and Poppa to grandson, Geoff, and granddaughters, Emily, Megan, Nikki, Cassie, Keke, and Kennedy. To others, he was Gordo, Gordie, Dad, Daddy, and Poppa Bear. Gord was often a quiet smoky presence with a giant smile and hearty laugh – always ready to do what was needed so everyone felt at home. 

Gord loved having all the kids around and gave them rides on the garden tractor until they were big enough to drive it themselves. The year Gord built the new deck was the first of many outdoor summer dance parties. The deck’s structural integrity was definitely tested. Gord made dozens of cement disks for everybody to paint when they visited. This turned into a historical journal of past visits because they were all displayed, and the kids (& adults) could see the disks they painted each year.

Gord was always up for a good time – although wagon races down the hill in Sorrento may have been a teensy bit dangerous at one of the annual Kennedy reunions. There were the McCracken Family reunions hosted at the farm in Neepawa which gave everyone an opportunity to play competitive crib, horseshoes, and lawn darts (yes – the sharp ones) – followed by a softball game and a potluck dinner. Of course there were trophies! He once made bows & arrows out of willow branches for all the girls at Elaine’s (12th?) birthday party. There were no injuries and those in attendance speak of it still. Bonfires and wiener roasts. The Teeter-Totter-Go Round.

There are so many good memories and stories involving Gord. When Donna took up painting, Gord took up making frames. Going for a drive with Gord meant never taking the same road twice; and there was always time to check out a historic monument or viewpoint. Valerie has clear memories of Dad putting the 1964 Ford Fairlane in neutral to coast down Mountain Road – pretty sure his Dad taught him that one – the highlight of Sunday drives to Clear Lake. Gord always had scotch mints in his pocket – still tasty even when they had a dusting of pocket lint. No matter what the project, he always had the right tool or bolt in the workshop. He loved playing cards – especially crib – and there were many little kids who learned all the ways to add to15 and 31 before any other math skills.   Gord loved to teach kids to play – just like his grandmother had taught him – although he didn’t always steal points that were missed like he’d been taught.

In 2022, Gord and Donna (finally) admitted that the place in Sorrento was just too much for them. They moved to the Parkway Retirement Community in Winnipeg. Here, Gord found new friends to beat at crib. He taught Kennedy to play snooker.

Gord spent the last 7 weeks of his life in hospital. We were hopeful that he would get to go back home; it was not to be. But in those last days there were many conversations and games of Crib. He talked about how driving tractor was one of his favorite things. Donna finally beat him at Crib. Gord was so excited that he would be a great-grandfather. Baby Jordan was born on March 27th, 2025. Some of us believe that Gord was waiting for his great-grandson to arrive before he left us.

Gord passed away peacefully with Donna holding his hand just after midnight on March 31st, 2025. He was predeceased by his parents and parents-in-law, sister Norma, brother Bob, and sister-in-law Joanne. Left behind to celebrate his life are his wife, Donna, daughters Valerie (Bill) and Elaine, grandchildren Geoff (Jasmyn), Emily, Megan, Nikki, Cassie, Keke, and Kennedy; great-grandchild, Jordan; Brothers-in-Law Chuck and Kim; Sisters-in-Law Brenda, Elaine, and Cindy; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

There will be no formal funeral. The family encourages those who knew Gord to drink a toast and share stories and memories.

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