Gilbert Squires

Proud, Supportive Father, Pop, and Garden Extraordinaire.

It is with profound sadness that the family of Gilbert “Gee” Squires announce his peaceful, sudden passing on Monday, August 8th 2022, at the age of 64 years.

Mastering his most recently acquired hobby of canning preserves, Gee loved his garden and had “the biggest rhubarb patch in all of Newfoundland”. He absolutely hated over-priced produce “grown with a bunch of ol chemicals”, but he positively adored his 3 children, so each year he grew giant gardens of organic fruits and veggies so they “would never have to eat that ol garbage”. He was a “Nanny’s boy” who fondly recalled his grandmothers delicious cooking, so giving-and-receiving foods was his love-language. He had a rather unusual fondness of cheese, and the only time he would yell was when you tried to throw away table-scraps and he would stop you with an urgent “Don’t throw that away! That’s for me crows!”

Gee loved cars and spent his lifetime collecting and restoring antique muscle cars. He loved smart ladies, showing off “Gar’s knife”, and taking naps in the linny on “Gar’s daybed”. He told epic sagas, like of when himself and his brother “harpooned a whale out in the bay with our bare hands”, and of when he got too close to the stage and “Bob Dylan made a boot at me”, and of when he dug up centuries-old “pirate coins” on his property, and 50% of the time, half of his stories were true!

Gee loved talking about his sister, Josie, and how “kind she was to everyone”, and he loved his nan, “Aunt Rene”, so much that he devoted 10 years of his life to restoring an old family property in her memory, which earned him a prestigious heritage award and made him beam with pride.

To relax, Gee preferred smoking and shenanigans over meditation. He especially loved to come home from the oilrig and sit in the passenger seat of his truck, drinking a beer while you drove him around to “see who’s down around the beach”, playing him “the hardest music ya got!”
Gee loved the summer and whenever you visited him in “God’s Country”, you found him “face and eyes in the garden”, where he would radiate with joy as he showed you “how big his plum trees got since last year” and “the size of the tomatoes in the greenhouse”. While guiding you around his breathtaking botanical adventure, he’d excitedly lead you to a giant mass of vibrant pink phlox that he would protest is his VERY favorite “cause it’s called Natasha!”.

He loved movies and watched every single film ever released on DVD from 1998 to 2014. He loved music and pretty much anything Tony Iommi ever touched. He also loved politics, particularly Municipal Council affairs.

Gee hated politics, particularly Municipal Council affairs, that “Joe-J**** new church”, purchasing produce he didn’t grow, the number 13, and “that ol bayman music”, so if you’re planning an accordion tribute, save it for some other Legend.

Gee was the man you called when you had car troubles, relationship troubles, weed and pest troubles, and he also knew a thing or two about legal troubles. He always answered. And you could always hear the excitement in his voice to hear from you.

Gee had a very special bond with his sons, Leigh and Keith, whom would both declare proudly “The old man is my best buddy”, even though everybody knew Gee looked up to them as his role models, inspiration, and guardian angels.

Predeceased by his father Gilbert, mother Dorothy, and 3 siblings Josephine, Diana, and Dane.

Gee leaves to mourn his beloved 3 children Leigh (Alyssa), Natasha, and Keith (Jackie), along with his 3 grandkids that were the biggest joy of his life, Stryder, Keedan, and Avriona, who all adored their fun, energetic poppy.

The family also wishes to extend a special thanks to his lifelong buddy, Clem, for being a great friend to Gee till the very end.

Gilbert was a true legend with so many exciting, vibrant layers. More than his own organic onions, and those who shared memories and rhubarb jam recipes with him are invited to attend his celebration of life.

Visitation will be at Carnell’s Funeral Home 329 Freshwater Road, Monday, August 15th from 2-4pm and 7-9pm, and Tuesday August 16th from 2-4, followed by a special farewell ceremony from 7-9. A private burial for close family and friends will take place the following day, Wednesday, August 17th at 12pm at the St. Philip’s Anglican Parish.

Donations in Gee’s memory can be made to Huntington Society of Canada

Gee will be forever remembered for his contagious smile, beaming brown eyes, generosity, inappropriate sense of humor, and growing heads of cabbage bigger than you.

He is deeply missed. Godspeed.

“The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken.
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”