Obituary of Lefty Gilbertson

Lefty (Lyman) Gilbertson Lefty slipped quietly away on March 9, 2009. His wife of 55 years, Ann (Stewart) Gilbertson, died on April 12, 2007. Lefty and Ann had no children of their own, but their large extended families including numerous nieces and nephews filled their lives. His siblings include Wallace, Alan, Carol (Friggstad), Herbert & Eugene. Herb resides in Victoria. The other siblings have pre-deceased Lefty. Carol’s kids (Dave, Obert, Terry, Audrey, Lorne, Sharon & Doug Friggstad) became especially close since his other siblings lived far away. Lefty was born in Frontier SK on April 20, 1926 as the fifth child to Bill and Julia Gilbertson. His mother died in 1929 leaving Bill with 5 young children to care for. Uncle Joe and Aunt Anna Gilbertson took Lefty under their wing to help Bill until he re-married to Esther Kaldor in 1932. Lefty went to school at Frontier and attended high school at the Saskatchewan Lutheran Bible School in Outlook. He took a job driving truck at McCamm Motors in Moose Jaw where he met Ann Stewart who worked there as well. She told Lefty that she wasn’t going to marry a truck driver, so Lefty went to work for the CPR. They were married on Sept. 13, 1952. They lived in Moose Jaw until 1960 when they moved to California for a year searching for adventure and new opportunities. Realizing that Saskatchewan looked better from afar, they returned in 1961 and began a new life in Lefty’s home town of Frontier where Lefty returned to truck driving and Ann became a secretary and bookkeeper, both for the Frontier Coop. In 1966 they moved to Swift Current where Ann worked for the Public School Board, Woolworth store and the Massey Harris and Ford dealerships, while Lefty worked for Melhoff Electric, Home Hardware and the City of Swift Current Water Utility. During this time they acquired “Lyan Acres” a small acreage east of Swift Current where they were able to live out their dream of rural living with the animals that Ann loved so much. They lived there for 35 years before moving into the city in retirement. Lefty loved to golf and in retirement was on the course with his other left handed friends every week day. He enjoyed the company of many close friends, often at the “McDonalds Coffee Club” each morning. Everyone who came to know Lefty will remember him as extraordinarily kind, happy, encouraging and genuine. His twinkling eyes will be missed by all. Lefty’s funeral will be at St. Olaf Lutheran Church on Central Avenue in Swift Current on Saturday March 14 at 2:00 PM with internment at Hillcrest Cemetery to follow. Lefty was thankful for the fellowship he found at St. Olaf’s since Ann’s funeral. Lefty’s family is also thankful for this congregation’s care of Uncle Lefty which allowed him fresh opportunity to nourish his deeply rooted faith, in the fellowship at St. Olaf’s. Memorials are welcomed for St. Olaf Lutheran Church or the Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Parkside Memorial Funeral Home, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Please visit our website at parksidefuneralhome.com to sign the family book of condolence.