It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Clinton Walford who passed away quietly at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, on Oct 12, 2023, at the age of 95.
Clint was born May 20, 1928, to George and Annie Walford, in Walford, Ontario, a small village southwest of Sudbury Ontario named in honour of his grandfather.
Early years were spent in woodworking and carpentry, mining, his own trucking business, and then on to newspaper management in sales. Later he was in marine and boat sales and while living in Ottawa, Clint worked at the National Archives and then went on to earn top sales successes with Sears in Ottawa, Ontario.
Clint served in his community as President of the North Bay YMCA, as well as Commodore of the Callander Yacht Club, a building he worked with others to construct from the ground up.
He was a wonderful storyteller and loved telling people the history of his family as well as sharing many of his life experiences. Clint was an avid Bridge player and had a very sharp mind and a memory that was amazing for a man of his 95 years. “Sky Blue Pink” and “Sh** Brindle Brown” were two of his favorite colours, and his grandchildren loved one of his favorite sayings… “Sweating like a hen hauling rails up a haystack backwards!” His sense of humour and wonderful smile and laugh will always be a part of who he was. Clint’s friendliness and kindness to others will be legendary. Whether it was giving a toque or a pair of the many extra gloves he carried in his car trunk to someone with bare hands on a cold winter day or, having a conversation with someone in a grocery store line up, he always had a way of sharing himself and his time with others. Clint was very resourceful and an expert at fixing things. His understanding and knowledge about how things worked was incredible.
Clint is survived by his former partner Katherine Costante.
Jean Bickford (Late Wesley) is Clint’s only surviving sibling of eleven.
Clint is also survived by his four children, Debbie Gill (Ron), Gene Walford (Helene), Joanne Peplow (Late Richard) and Mary Ellen Walford-Faubert (Harold). Grandchildren - Sandi LaPorte (Eric), Kevin Gill (Natasha), Clinton Walford (Joanne), Brad Walford, Christina Peplow, Lindsay Peplow-Brott (Thom) and Christopher Degagne. He is survived by many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephew.
A special thank you to Dr Catherine Shaw for her compassion and devotion to our dad over the years, and during his final days.
To honour our father’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. We invite you to please privately celebrate Clint’s memory in your own ways. We know he will be with us all in spirit. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time.
Until we are together again Dad.