03/30/2026
LIVINGSTON, Gordon
On Sunday, March 29, in his 102nd year, Gordon Livingston finally used up the time he had on this earth. A constant presence in mind and body, he is survived by his children: Larry; Linda Vautour (Bob); Bev (Robin); Judy Jurchuk; Patti Eagle (Mark); Lori-Ann (Mark Breathwaite) and Lois Gallagher (Doug), and his daughter-in-law, Ruth (Bruce, 2021). Grandpa to 18 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Predeceased by his wife of 71 years, Alma (Mansfield, 2021) and his son, Bruce (2022), his daughter-in-law, Norma (2019) and great-grandson, Colby.
Born July 12, 1924, in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Gordon was the eldest son of Eva Helena Almost and Louis Livingston, and brother to Harry, Ron and Shirley (all deceased). He came from a long line of family members who lived well into their 90s and 100s, stalwart pioneering folk who worked hard, lived sparsely and flirted with poverty. It is perhaps because of this legacy, and that of the Great Depression, that Gordon’s resilience and complete stubbornness saw him through near-death experiences, accidents, eight children and life as a farmer outside Markdale, Ont.
In the late 1940s, he and his brother purchased land north of Markdale, clearing it with a team of horses and turning the rustic original log cabin into his family’s first home. He married Alma Mae Mansfield on June 24, 1950; they settled on this hardscrabble farm on the West Back Line near Berkeley, with no running water, no electricity or heat other than a wood stove – into this cabin the first four children were born. Starting with Bruce in 1951, the first four children were born and raised on that farm, which remains in the family.
By 1959, Gordon and Alma purchased a farm 2.5 miles south of Markdale, where the remaining four children were born, lastly Lois in 1971, when Alma was almost 43. The farm had a small herd of dairy cows for cream quota, chickens, pigs and, in the 1980s, one of the first herds of Angora goats. With 20 years between the oldest and youngest kids, there were enough hands to keep the farm going until the early 1990s.
When Gordon retired, he and Alma stayed on the farm for several more years, rewarding themselves for long years of no vacations to go travelling. They loved their bus trips, and travelled to several US destinations, including Alaska, Arizona and Missouri; New Zealand; Scotland; Ireland and locations across Canada, including Newfoundland and the Yukon.
In his spare time, which occurred infrequently, Gordon liked nothing more than annual trips to hunt moose and deer and going fishing. He and Alma both belonged to a bowling club in Ceylon for many years.
In the early years of Alma’s dementia, he did his best to care for her at home, and visited often when she was admitted to long-term care at Grey Gables in Markdale; he enjoyed being doted on by the staff there.
He stayed in school only until the end of Grade 9, but in his own way remained a lifelong learner, reading newspapers and magazines voraciously throughout his life. He always had an opinion to offer about something in the news, especially if it was about cars, and when his hearing virtually disappeared as he aged, he also read the news ticker on TV during newscasts. This insatiable curiosity kept his mind sharp, and he remained incredibly conversant in world events right until the end.
Visitation will occur at the Fawcett Funeral Home on Sunday, April 5, from 3-5 p.m. The funeral will be held at Annesley United Church, Markdale, on Monday, April 6, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Markdale Hospital Foundation or to Canadian Food Grains Bank. Online Condolences and tributes available at www.fawcettfuneralhome.ca
