| Black - Richard Henry Black, known more commonly as Dick, went to be with his Lord on July 24, 2008 at Didsbury, Alberta at the age of 94 years. He was born August 12, 1913 at his parent’s home on the south side of the Battle River valley in the Fairfield district to Harry and Mabel (Booth) Black. He was their fourth child and eldest son in a family that grew to 13 children. On August 12, 1942, he was married to Margaret Hudson, a close neighbour and to this union was born two children. Margaret died of a heart condition in 1968 and Dick married Ethel (Vincent) Widlake in 1970 gaining four step-children in this union. Dick and Ethel enjoyed 21 years together and traveled extensively to the U. K., Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Australia and Fiji before Ethel passed away in 1991. Dick was a faithful and caring husband, father and brother and a loving grandfather to his seven grandchildren, 13 step-grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Dick farmed at Fairfield until 1946 when he moved his family to Chedderville, 15 miles south of Rocky Mountain House to farm and start a Sunday School. In 1956 Dick sold his farm and purchased Forestburg Welding and Machine Shop in Forestburg which he operated until 1980. Dick was a strong church leader beginning in the Fairfield Baptist Church and then starting the Bethany Gospel Mission at Chedderville followed by leadership in the Forestburg Baptist Church and the Galahad Missionary Church. He was known as a knowledgeable bible teacher and preacher. He provided leadership in the ministry of Youth for Christ in both the Rocky and Forestburg-Alliance areas and made significant effort to get young people to summer Bible camps at Gull Lake. Some of the young people who were influenced by his ministry have gone on to carry the gospel to the far corners of the world. In recent years Dick took great pleasure in his involvement in the work of the Compassionate Resource Warehouse in Victoria, B.C., preparing and loading containers of medical and school supplies for distribution in needy places around the world. Dick was predeceased by his parents, his two wives, three brothers and six sisters and is survived by two sisters, Rose Polege of Calgary and Dorthy Lake of Stettler and one brother, Reg (Doris) of Brownfield. He will be lovingly remembered by his two children, Mervin (Lois) Black of Victoria, B.C. and Marilyn (Dick) Loyd of Graham, Wash. and his four step-children, Sharon (Ken) Philips of Waskatenau, AB, Victoria (Wayne) Snyder of Didsbury, AB, Gerald (Shirley) Widlake of St. Albert, AB and Margaret (John) Mitchell of St. Albert, AB as well as the host of friends and relatives in the Brownfield, Forestburg and Rocky Mtn. House districts and beyond. Internment will be held on Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 1:30 pm at the Fairfield Cemetery followed by a memorial service at the Brownfield Baptist Church at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Gideons International or the charity of your choice. Gideon cards will be available at the memorial service. Arrangements by Coronation Funeral Home. |