May 10. 1928 - July 12, 2021
Eric Stopford passed away peacefully on July 12, 2021 in Carstairs at the age of 93 years.
He was born May 10, 1928 at Audenshaw, Manchester, England to Grace and James Stopford. Eric attended school until he was 14 and then Technical School to the age of 16. He started work as a junior draftsman with the Ministry of War in 1944 in the Transport Roads Department in downtown Manchester. Within 2 years, he was posted to field office in the Lake District at the towns of Cockermouth, Workington, Orton and Kendal in the surveying and road planning department. In 1952, he quit and took up an engineering assistant job with the County of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland with work related to roads, cemeteries and sea defence. He left in 1957 and emigrated to Canada.
Eric started work with the Town of Edson as Public Works Superintendent. In 1958, he met Doris Fluker and they married in 1959. They built a house in 1962 and stayed in Edson until 1965. They then moved to Kitimat, BC where Eric acquired at job as Superintendent of Works for the city of Kitimat. In 1967, he took a job with Parks Canada as Public Works Manager and worked in Waterton, Riding Mountain, Calgary Regional Office and Banff National Park. Eric retired in 1989 at the age of 60 years.
They moved back to their house in Calgary and in 1991 built a new home in Carstairs. Doris passed away in May of 1992. Eric renewed an acquaintance with a cousin of Doris’, Janice Haakonson and they married in 2005.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Janice; stepsons Darryl (Tracy) Haakonson, Darcy (Stacy) Haakonson; nieces Brenda Hurst and Angela Whitehouse of England and nephew Alan Stopford of England.
He was predeceased by his parents Grace and James Stopford and brother Kenneth. In keeping with Eric’s wishes, no service will be held. Memorial tributes may be made directly to the Carstairs Lions Club. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd, Olds entrusted with arrangements. 403-507-8610 Condolences may made or viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com
