August 10, 1942 - April 21, 2024
Gordon died as he had lived, surrounded by his adoring family. He passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, April 21, shortly after being diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Gordon was born in Glasgow, Scotland on Aug 10, 1942, to the late Peter and Jane (Kelly) Balmain. Gordon emigrated to Canada in 1966 with his wife Rena and baby daughter Ellen.
Gordon cherished family: a value he and his late wife, Rena, nurtured in their daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and everyone else in their orbit.
But for Gordon, family needn’t be defined by blood. He had this magic way of making everyone feel like family. His good cheer, charm, generosity, kindness, and formidable zest for life could put anyone at ease, making them feel welcome, comfortable, and loved. He made friends easily and loved nothing more than sharing a pint over good conversation or a lively debate with friends and family, both old and new. He was a loving and fiercely loyal friend to all whom he held close. We will miss the disarming warmth in his greetings: “Hello, pet!” And “How are ye, son?”
As a lifelong champion of the underdog, he held no airs or graces and accepted people as they were. But he didn’t suffer fools and told it like it was. “Better oot than in” was a lifelong mantra of his. And though he may have ruffled some feathers along the way, honesty, forgiveness, and compassion came easily to him. With Gordon you always knew where you stood. An extraordinary person until the end, Gordon will be remembered for his larger-than life personality, his incredible stories of the homeland, and his unmatched generosity. If he wasn’t picking up the tab, he was offering to hang a door or build a deck! Not one to be idle, Gordon was a highly skilled ‘joiner’ with a work ethic to match… he famously scooped 3 jobs in one day! Those who worked with him know how he loved a challenge and thrived on problem-solving. He could fix anything and if he bumped up against a problem he always knew “just the guy” who could help. Gordon retired in December of 2017 after 42 seasons with the Stratford Festival.
Gordon was predeceased by his wife Rena Balmain in 2005, his parents, his sister Ann Reynolds and brother-in-law Pat Tracey.
Left to cherish his memory are his three children Ellen, Yvonne & Heather; his two sons-in-law Scott Matthews and Tom Hummel; his grandchildren Duncan (Kelsey), Calum and Rena Balmain-Matthews and Ronan and Gordon Balmain-Hummel; and “fourth daughter” Stacey Parsons.
Gordon will be deeply missed by his brother-in-law and best pal, Thurman Reynolds, and his sister-in-law Susan Tracey.
Nieces and nephews Paul (Teresa) and Iain (Joanne) Reynolds, Jane (Roger) Feltz, and John (Ann), Elizabeth and Joseph (Mary) Tracey and will all mourn his passing. Remembered also by relatives back home in Glasgow, especially by the Rooney, Heaney and Wilson families, whom he and Rena spent many wonderful holidays with.
A private family interment will take place at Avondale Cemetery. A celebration of Gordon's life will be held on Friday, May 3rd, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Stratford Country Club.
We will miss him dearly, but he lives on in each of us and in his stories. If you have a memorable moment or story about or involving Gordie, the family would love you to share it in their guestbook “Gordie Stories”—a collection of memories of that loveable Scotsman.
Donations in Gordon’s memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Stratford General Hospital Foundation, or a charity of your choice through the W. G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron St, Stratford, ON. www.wgyoungfuneralhome.com
