Gord Kinniburgh

1950 - 2023

James Gordon Kinniburgh, born December 14, 1950 in Taber, passed away on Thursday September 28, 2023 in Taber at the age of 72 years.

Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Friday, October 6, 2023 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.

The Funeral Service was held at Knox United Church, 4929 - 50 Avenue, Taber on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 11:00 A.M.

Gord is survived by his children Zelda Gayle (Patrick), Adam, Daniel (Dan), Susan (Eric) and Jesse; son-in-law Kealey; grandchildren Brady (Quincee), Drayden, Callum, Olivia, Holden and Victoria; great grandchildren Sterling, Lucy, Rhyett and Rebel. He is also survived by his siblings Kate and Jack and his former wife Colleen.

He was predeceased by his daughter Christy; parents Jack and Freda; brothers Ian and Fred.

Gord grew up in Purple Springs at the Kinniburgh homestead and had a rambunctious childhood with his siblings and cousins. For his early education he attended Kinniburgh School which was located directly across the road. He could sometimes be found lying in the ditch and when the coast was clear, he would skip school to do all the things that boy Gord loved to do! Like a true Kinniburgh, he had a deep love for airplanes. He had his pilot’s license, was an aircraft mechanic and enjoyed flying and fixing planes with his dad for Kinniburgh Spray Service. He was also a dryland farmer with his dad and sons, he loved being a truck driver. Gord could often be found at the kitchen table playing a “dirty game of cards” with anyone who would sit with him, or doing the expert crossword puzzles. Gord was a big proponent of family movie nights. Many trips were made to the theatre to catch a Sunday matinee, though Gord slept through a lot of them. When he could no longer drive a semi-truck, Gord could be found driving cab in Taber. Gord was very social and this was a perfect fit for him. The surest way to his heart was to bring him a double double and sit down for a chat. He also spent Saturday’s driving his mom and friends to the casino in Lethbridge. These trips to the casino were treasured by Gord because of the company he kept. In recent years, Gord developed dementia (more than the usual mixing up his kids’ names) and he eventually entered a longterm care home. Though he was reluctant to move into Linden View he adapted quickly. On the very first day, while his children talked to the staff he found friends, both old and new, and decided maybe the new home wouldn’t be so bad. Though he no longer had all his memories, his last months were spent happily receiving visitors and phone calls, and watching old westerns.