Timothy Walter Gillard

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Tim Gillard of Tees, AB at Lacombe Hospital and Long-Term Care Center.  

Tim will be missed by his wife of 48 years Cheryl Gillard; daughter Angela (Kelly) Hooey, sons Franklin (Cori-Lynn) Gillard, and Willard Gillard; grandchildren Ashley, Hanna, Calder Hooey and Corbin, Carter and Maria Gillard. Brother Ken (Anita) Gillard; sisters-in-law Darlene Bell, Dawn Marie (Roy) Gillard; brother-in-law Terry (Joanne) Kane.  

He was predeceased by parents Walter and Amy Gillard, sister and brother-in-law Diane and Ray Kozak, brothers in law Dale Bell and Ron Kane. Survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.  

Tim began life in Lacombe AB, and as young kids, him and his brother Ken spent their free time at Grampa Frank and Uncle Jack’s farm. They learned how to harvest hay using horses and avoided home time by hiding in the rack of bundles. Tim was especially consumed with riding all farm animals, especially horses, pigs, calves, and work horses. Through school years he was a competitor at the Lacombe Light Horse Association. Tim completed high school and a welding certificate before working up north a couple seasons with Cousin Dennis, driving truck in Tuktoyaktuk over the frozen Mackenzie River. 

Tim met Cheryl when he stopped for cattle medicine at the vet clinic where she worked.  He kept stopping in for “supplies” and finally asked her to a dance in Clive, AB. Tim and Cheryl dated while she was at the vet clinic, and he worked on different local farms and ranches.  She wasn't allowed to smoke in his nice Ford pick-up; however, she was permitted to chew snuff. They were married August 23, 1975, in Lacombe and started family life on their farm at Tees, AB. Tim worked briefly with Hopkins Construction while starting a herd of commercial cattle and a small selection of purebred Simmental cattle that he showed in Edmonton. Alongside the cattle, he produced an outstanding line of Registered Quarter horses, retaining 10 mares, raising and training his own young horses as well as training outside horses in their indoor riding arena. 

 Angela and Franklin joined the family in 1977 and 1978, and Willard in 1983, surrounded by everything farm related. Tim's childhood dream of owning a ranch came true in 1985 when he moved the family to Alder Flats on a quarter of rough land and to operate a grazing lease on the North Saskatchewan River. The herd grew to nearly 200 mother cows, and ranch life ensued with hours of long hard work building and fixing fence, calving cows, harvesting hay, training ranch horses and rodeoing in the summers. He always had a team on hand and loved hitching up anytime there was a chance. Cows were trailed to the grazing lease in the summer and returned the trip each fall in October. It was on these cattle drives that cowboys were made, tales were told, friendships forged, and memories created to last a lifetime. Gillard Ranches hosted a bred heifer auction for a few years with buyers joining from all over the province.  

Raising kids to be ranch hands and starting a roping club at local rodeo grounds were things Tim took great pride in. He mentored many young horse lovers, cousins, friends, other teamsters, sharing and promoting traditional cowboy culture. The family followed local rodeo associations and Tim also belonged to CATRA and sponsored a saddle for Central Century Team ropers and joined other various jackpots. Both Tim and Cheryl became great friends with the Moore family of Alder Flats that operated Moore’s Auctioneering that hosted Elk and Bison Auctions. Cheryl was a long-time office manager and Tim operated Tim Gillard Trucking, hauling elk and bison across Canada and the USA. Their deliveries took them on adventures to Alaska, Tennessee, Ontario, Chicago, etc.  

Tim and Cheryl relocated the homeplace when they purchased the Clemmer place and built a custom bison feedlot. After separate years of drought and crashed Bison market, BSE took hold of the cattle market, Gillard Ranches decided to downsize the operation, letting the grazing lease go, reducing the herd, moving back to Tees and residing on the Ferguson homestead. Soon after, Tim had the opportunity to settle his dad’s quarter, also near Tees, where he and Cheryl resided until his health deteriorated and in April of 2020 was moved into care. It has been a long 4 years of suffering from long term effects of Diabetes, and we are relieved and honoured to have released Tim from earthly suffering.  

Tim especially enjoyed his grandchildren and was a long-term supporter of all their adventures, rodeo, team roping, 4H, Pony Club, etc. He made sure they were properly outfitted with tack, horses, and candies. He would be very proud of what amazing successful citizens they are becoming.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Tees Community Hall in Tees, AB on Monday, June 17 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. 

 In lieu of flowers, a donation in Tim’s name may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association www.crm2.diabetes.ca/site/Donation2