Obituary of Richard Ainsley

Richard Lawrence Ainsley was born in Prince Albert, SK to Lawrence and Nora Ainsley.  He grew up and went to school in Prince Albert.  Richard and Shirley got married on March 14, 1970 and their first daughter, Candace, was born on July 6, 1970.  The family of three moved several times before returning to Nipawin in 1973.  Their second daughter, Renee, was born in Nipawin, SK on September 26, 1973.

Richard earned his steam engineer/boiler ticket and started working at Nipawin Hospital as a boiler operator.  In 1980, the family moved to Melville, SK where Richard worked as a boiler operator at the Melville Hospital until 1997.  It was during this time, Richard joined St. John Ambulance and volunteered at several events providing First Aid.  He was awarded a Serving Brother Medal from St. John Ambulance which he received in Ottawa from Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn.

In 1997, Richard and Shirley experienced a mid-life crisis and decided to hit the road.  After earning their 1A Driver’s Licenses, they started team driving across Canada and the U.S. until they retired in 2008.  He picked up local work hauling scrap metal to Winnipeg and Edmonton for a few years after retiring. 

More recently, Richard has spent his time watching his Nipawin Hawks, walking with his dog, Sprite, and helping his neighbours mow their lawns and shovel their snow.

Richard is predeceased by his parents and his brother, Jim.  He is survived by Shirley, Candace (Boyd), Renee (Kevin) and his grandchildren: Orrin and his two sons, Danyka (Travis) and her two sons, Brytan (Shaela) and his son, and Tracer (Kayleigh).