LEONARD HARVEY GOLDSBOROUGH -

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LEONARD HARVEY GOLDSBOROUGH 1931 - 2012 Len died peacefully with his family beside him, after a long health struggle, on Monday, March 19, 2012 at the Grace General Hospital. Predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Victoria Goldsborough, sister Alice and brother Bud, he leaves to mourn his wife Joan; sons Gordon (Maria) and Greg (Marianne); daughter Janice; grandchildren Stefanie, Josef, Justin, Ryan, Shawn, Kelsey, and Laurel; sister Dorothy (Bill), brother-in-law George (Winnie), numerous nephews and nieces, and his faithful hound Howie. Born at Winnipeg on September 21, 1931, Len grew up on the family farm in the Ferndale district near Starbuck. He attended Ferndale School and Starbuck High School, graduating from the latter in 1948. At the age of 16, after six weeks of training at the Tuxedo Normal School, he began a 37-year teaching career in which he was known for his phenomenal memory (years later, he was readily able to recall names and anecdotes about former students and staff) and his stern but caring approach to education. He began at Overhill School near Portage la Prairie where he was responsible for a class of 33 students, some just slightly younger than himself. In 1949, he returned to Normal School to obtain his formal teaching credentials then spent two enjoyable years (1950 to 1952) at Hamiota School. He contemplated joining the R.C.M.P. in late 1952 but fate intervened and, instead, he taught briefly at an Hutterian school near Elie. In early 1953, he was hired by Graysville School where he stayed until 1956. During these years in Graysville, he made many life-long friends and, most importantly, met Joan Hodgson of Stephenfield who, the next year, would become his loving wife of nearly 55 years. In 1957, he began teaching at Britannia School, beginning an affiliation with the St. James-Assiniboia School Division that was to last for the remainder of his career. In 1958, he moved to Deer Lodge Junior High then, in 1963, was promoted to Vice-Principal of Bannatyne School under his friend Lyall Sims. Three years later, he returned to Deer Lodge as its Vice-Principal and, in 1968, he succeeded Lyall as the Principal of Bannatyne School, overseeing the opening of a large, new addition and demolition of the original building in 1970. Somehow, he found time in his busy teaching schedule to receive B.A. and B.Ed. degrees from the University of Manitoba. After five productive years at Bannatyne, he was appointed the first Principal of Alexander Ross School, overseeing a student body spread across seven buildings in the division until a new school was opened in March 1976. He served there until 1979 then was Principal of Strathmillan School until 1984, taking a month off in September 1979 to oversee the harvest after the sudden death of his beloved brother Bud. His last teaching post was as Principal of Stevenson-Britannia School, from which he retired early, in June 1986, to realize a long-time dream to return to the farm. Throughout his life in Winnipeg, he was active in sports, spending 17 years as a basketball referee at the high school to senior men's levels, and organizing the Charleswood Linament Softball League and the Charleswood Men's Slo-Pitch League. Always interested in children, he was Umpire-in-Chief and Commissioner of the Charleswood Little League and he served 12 years with Cubs and Boy Scouts groups in Charleswood. For 17 years, he was a member of the Board for Charleswood United Church. Always a dedicated family man, Len reveled in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren, and gleefully attended all their many events. In retirement, he built a new home on the farm, leaving the house in Charleswood that had been the site of many fond memories. Dad was never so happy as when he was riding in his tractor and combine, but he also managed to indulge his life-long carpentry hobby, and participated actively in many community activities. He organized the Starbuck Cemetery Board (1992) and served on the Starbuck Hall Board, Starbuck Park Committee, RM of Macdonald Heritage Advisory Committee, and Starbuck United Church Board. He was an active participant in the Starbuck Dinner Theatre, an annual tradition where he could always be counted upon to play the dastardly villain or curmudgeon-with-a-heart-of-gold while also supplying props made in his home woodworking shop. (Only his recent bout of poor health forced him to withdraw from the group's recent successful production.) Other products of his shop included the Starbuck town sign that greets visitors to the community, the replica grain elevator beside it, a sign for the Starbuck Hall and Starbuck Recreation Centre, and numerous hand-made gifts for friends and family. An enthusiastic local historian, Len compiled information on the history of the Ferndale area for the Sanford-Ferndale history book, and helped with the 125th anniversary celebrations of the RM of Macdonald. Always an avid gardener, he fed people throughout the countryside with the products of his enormous garden, and he routinely supplied Winnipeg Harvest with quantities of potatoes and other vegetables. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 2:00 p.m., at the Starbuck Trinity Lutheran Church. Interment will take place in the Starbuck Cemetery that he tended faithfully for so many years. Flowers are gratefully declined but donations in Len's memory may be made to the charity of one's choice. Rest in peace, Dad. You were a good man and will be long remembered. Doyle's Funeral Chapel in care of arrangements. www.doylesfuneralchapel.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 22, 2012