Clifford John "Jack" Widdicombe

On June 25, at the age of 103, Jack passed away in Russell, Manitoba. He was predeceased by his three sisters: Violet, June, and Alice; plus seven brothers: Sam, Wes, Ted, Roland, Jim, George and Dan. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Florence; children Penny (Ian) Menzies, Melva Widdicombe (Ivan Sabesky), Daryl (Janet) Widdicombe; grandchildren Emma Doran (Daniel Cisneros), Christa (Jamie) Lovas, Shelly Stanchuk; great-grands Feron, Jenna and Cali Lovas, Jacob Walter; plus numerous relatives and friends.

Jack was born May 2, 1921 on the farm at Foxwarren, to William John and Matilda June (Honey) Widdicombe. He completed grade 12 while working nights to earn money to enrol in the Agriculture Program at the University of Manitoba. While there he became a member of the Canadian Officers Training Corps, and after two years he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Canada, by this time, was the home of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, and by July 1943, Jack was sailing for England aboard the troop ship “Louis Pasteur”. He became a member of #419 “Moose” squadron of Bomber Command, and flew Lancasters over Germany until peace was declared in 1945. Then he continued training in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for the Pacific Campaign but was not deployed before it ended abruptly. These experiences profoundly influenced him and he viewed the world from a global perspective for the rest of his life. He was an avid reader, interested in world affairs, climate concerns, and human responsibility during times of crisis.

After the war, Jack returned home to the family farm and dedicated himself to becoming a knowledgeable farmer- restoring the land and securing more acreage throughout the years. In 1947, he married his high school sweetheart, Florence Peterson, and together they raised three children. Jack served on the board of the Manitoba Pool Elevators and kept the Bayfield community happy for several years operating the snow plough.

Jack loved sports  - particularly hockey, and was rooting for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs this season. In his younger years, he could be seen at the rink coaching hockey, refereeing games, curling, maintaining the ice and serving as secretary for the Foxwarren Athletic Association. At age 65, Jack took up golf and loved it. He participated in provincial competitions and the Canadian Senior Games; and once, in 2011, he picked up a silver medal in Houston, Texas, at the International Summer Games. As the eldest competitor in Brampton, Ontario in 2016, he captured a gold award.  Jack is a man of few words, but this definitely made him smile.

Our family is truly grateful for the care and support from the community; doctors, nurses, home care workers, and to the staff at the Russell Personal Care Home for their kindness to Jack during his final flight.