Roy Edward Willard

On June 4, 2018 Mr. Roy Willard of Bashaw passed away at the Louise Jensen Care Centre in Camrose at the age of 88 years.

Roy was born at Exeter, Ontario, raised at Mount Hope, and enlisted in the Army in December of 1947.  From Wainwright, Roy went to Korea and returned to Base Borden where he met Dorothy and they married in 1955.  They went to Germany in 1957 and returned to Montreal in 1959.  From there Roy went to Egypt and in 1965 to Tanzania to instruct mechanics to the Tanzanian Army.  Roy acquired his Sergeant's stripes in Kingston and they were posted in Germany again from 1967 to 1970.  A posting to Calgary and a possible back to Germany meant that he got out of the army in 1972 after 26 years.

Roy spent his years in Calgary as a Diesel Mechanic and as a Warrant Administrator for Cummins and Western Star.  1990 brought about his first retirement and he became a Marine Operator, helping with the running of the Willard's General Store and the Pelican Beach Mini-Golf.  Roy kept involved with the community by being President of the Happy Gang, Vice President of the Buffalo Lake Water Management, President of the Royal Canadian Legion, and Vice President of the Bashaw and District Health & Wellness Foundation and served as a Director where needed.

Roy is survived by his children Christopher Willard, Susan LaRue (Christopher), and Shawn Willard;  grandchildren Jacob, Joshua, Christina, Cody, Danielle, and Josiah; and his sister Betty Borland (Jack). He was predeceased by his wife Dorothy; parents Ed and Annie Willard; his son Edward James in 1962; and his daughter Eva Marianne in 1959 (interred in Weri, Germany).

A Funeral Service will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion in Bashaw at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13, 2018. The Interment Service will take place at the Bashaw Cemetery following a Memorial Reception.

Memorial donations are gratefully accepted to the Canadian Cancer Society.