Gordon Murray Howarth

Gordon Murray Howarth was born in Toronto in 1927 to Bruce and Beatrice. He had 2 older brothers, Roy and Alan.

As a boy, Gordon had a fear of needles and fainted at the sight of blood, but that didn't stop him from participating in all the pranks with his big brothers. It was no wonder that the maids working for his parents quit after a short amount of time! And left 5 nuts on the mantle!!

At school he struggled with English, but excelled in Math. He often skipped classes so he could play chess with the principal. Since he loved to play Bridge, he created an easy way to learn how to play the game and wrote a book on it. During the summers and after school he worked at his father's business, Howarth and Smith, doing odd jobs from the ground up and learning about the business.

He was accepted at Toronto University into the Honors Math/Physics/ Chemistry program.  It was while he was at university that 2 of his friends invited him to go to an evening service at a Baptist church.  Although he had grown up attending the United church, he had never heard about sin or the gospel message. On his second visit he felt convicted and became a Christian. He was 19 years old.

When his father's business partner, Charlie Smith, suddenly passed away, Bruce Howarth approached Gordon about working full-time with him at Howarth and Smith Monotype Ltd. Gordon closed his textbooks and started the next day.  Not long after, he got  involved in the Young Men's Ad and Sales Club.  He continued in the family business which became Canada's largest typographical house, until he and his brother sold it in 1971 and then he moved to Victoria, retiring at the age of 44!

He married Marion Cornish in 1952 and although they wanted 4 boys, they were blessed with 3 daughters, Anne, Lynne and Teri.

His life as a husband and father was filled with summers at the cottage on Lake Joseph, barbecuing bacon burgers over briquettes, waterskiing, fishing, playing golf, and tennis. In the winter it was flooding the backyard to make a skating rink, and building snow forts in the front yard for snowball fights and icy slides.

While in Toronto, he was on the board for Youth For Christ, taught boy's Sunday School, was deacon at Richview Baptist Church, and enjoyed many years of being involved with Christian Service Brigade.

When he and the family moved to Victoria, he became a member at Central Baptist and continued working in Boy's Brigade. Soon after he became involved with Camp Qwanoes, directing Senior Boys and eventually Youth Camps. His nickname was "Howie" to hundreds of campers and counsellors. The greatest inspiration in his life was to see boys and young people accept Jesus Christ at camp and go on to serve Him.

As arthritis in his fingers worsened, golf was gradually replaced with tennis and pool and TV, then eventually Mexican train, 3's and TV. Gordon loved to win and was relentless at any game. He had a penchant for shrimp, diet pepsi, shreddies as a snack before bed, and pancakes. He made the best macadamia nut pancakes and also bread with the help of a bread machine.

By the time he and Marion moved to White Rock, they had enjoyed many years of being snowbirds to Arizona, then Mexico, and camping across North America at Thousand Trails. They went on many cruises and Gordon was already planning the next trip before they were home.

He loved to entertain people with his stories and jokes, and his classic smirk will be greatly missed.

He is predeceased by both brothers as well as his son-in-law, Wes Durksen.

He leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Marion, and his 3 daughters, Anne Howarth (Parksville) and her children Meghan and Kalen O'Brien (Vancouver); Lynne (husband Dan) Wright and daughter Jamie (Florida); and Teri (husband Peter) Kingma and children Jeni Durksen (Toronto), Karla (husband Aaron) Toews and their 3 children, Mason, Adri and Elly (Langley), and Tim (wife Melissa) Durksen (Maple Ridge).

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Gideons would be greatly appreciated.

Celebration of Life will be held Sat. Nov. 24th/12 at 10:30 am at White Rock Baptist Church (1657 140th St., Surrey).

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.