GORDON LIGHTFOOT - Public Visitation For Late Canadian Music Legend Scheduled For Sunday In Orillia; Book Of Condolences Available At Toronto's Massy Hall
May 5, 2023, a year ago
World renowned singer, songwriter, & entertainer, Gordon Lightfoot, passed at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ontario on Monday, May 1, 2023 in his 85th year. Lightfoot, of Toronto and formerly of Orillia, beloved son of the late Gordon & Jessie Lightfoot is predeceased by his elder sister, Beverley Lightfoot Eyers.
One of the most celebrated singer-songwriters of his generation, Gordon is remembered for a decades long career that saw him achieve international renown. A national treasure, his songs have become part of the Canadian cultural fabric, earning him legions of fans at home and around the globe. He is survived by his cherished wife Kim Lightfoot, children Fred, Ingrid, Eric, Galen, Miles and Meredith, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The late Gordon Lightfoot will rest at the St. Paul's United Church, 62 Peter St., N., Orillia, Ontario. The public is invited to pay their respects at St. Paul's United Church on Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 1 PM until 8 PM. Memorial donations to the United Way (Simcoe County Area) would be gratefully appreciated and may be made at the Mundell Funeral Home, 79 West St., N., Orillia Ontario L3V 5Cl (705 325-2231). Messages of condolence are welcome at mundellfuneralhome.com.
In addition to the public visitation for Gordon Lightfoot at St Paul’s United Church in Orillia, a book of condolences will be made available at Massey Hall for the public to sign on Sunday, May 7 from 10 AM to 3 PM. Massey Hall is located at 178 Victoria St. in downtown Toronto.
Rush frontman Geddy Lee, who appeared alongside bandmate Alex Lifeson in the 2019 documentary Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, took to Instagram to pay tribute to Lightfoot.
Says Geddy: "The first time we met was outside a local award show at a club in Toronto - a legendary poet, a songwriting inspiration - a gem of a man - I loved him. He used to bring his daughter who was a fan, to our shows, and he’d sit with her in the audience getting blasted with volume for three hours - a few months back he phoned me out of the blue, for no other reason than to say he’d just watched one of our concert films and really loved it. Every time I ran into him the first thing he would ask was how many gigs we’d done that year - he’d then proudly counter with the fact that he had played even more! RIP Gord - you are the man - the greatest Canadian."
A video trailer for the above-mentioned documentary, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, can be viewed below. Seek out the full documentary, you won't be disappointed.
