Gordon Euler April 1, 1934 - March 20, 2022

It is with great sadness that the Euler family announces the peaceful passing of Gordon Euler, beloved dad, grandpa, great grandpa at home on March 20, 2022.

Dad was born on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1934 in Dryden, Ontario, to Wolfgang and Arnolda Euler. The family lived at the homestead with the big red barn in downtown Waldhof most of his young life.

In winter, Dad and the other Waldhof area children walked or skied to Waldhof School, in north Waldhof, after doing their morning chores, and back again in the evening, the odd trip home lengthened by skating on the pond, and impromptu hockey games! Spring, summer and fall were most welcome for those who had bicycles!

As a teenager, Dad attended Dryden High School in the present day Dryden City Hall building, excelling in sports of all kinds, but especially football, baseball and track and field, for which he had trophies, and medals from area track meets. Even in his late 50ʼs, Dad could run faster in his rubber boots than young men more than half his age!

Of special note, Dad never forgot his football coach Harry McMaster, who, on the days when the football team had to practice later than the bus returned to Waldhof from Dryden, would lend Dad his car to drive home, which he would drive back to school in the morning. Harryʼs kindness and faith in Dadʼs dependability was spoken of often if football was a topic of conversation.

Summers were spent helping his parents out at the tourist camp on Eagle Lake, as well as maintaining the farm. Dad had his own trapline for many years, and his own commercial fishing license for a lake up Highway 105, which he shared with Don Cook, the 2 men saving money for college and the future.

In later life, Dad reminisced about life on the farm, feeding the chickens and other animals, picking blueberries, shooking hay with his Dad and brothers by hand behind the horse team. As a teenager Dad was entrusted with the care of his Dadʼs team of workhorses, King and Lady, which was a high honour. His love for the routine of country/farm life, the peaceful but hard work, early mornings and early nights was reflected in his whole life, being a solid, humble, dependable man of his word, unwavering in his faithfulness to his few lifelong friends, and those that he gave his support to.

After high school graduation, Dad joined the RCMP, training in Regina, and was sent out to BC, serving in several small communities including Williams Lake. After his father became ill and could no longer maintain the tourist camp operation, Dad made the difficult decision to give up his career in the RCMP and returned to Waldhof, to help run the family business.

In 1959, Dad married Juliana (Julie) Dreef, and they proceeded to learn the ropes of running a business and raising a family.

For the next 35 years, Dad spent every spring, summer and fall guiding fishermen and hunters, cleaning fish, mowing grass, and maintaining his 9 cabin tourist operation on Eagle Lake, following in his fatherʼs footsteps. Dad was very active on several local and area tourist association boards, including NOTO, NOTA, Sunset Country Tourist Association, Patricia Vacationland, and Eagle Lake Conservation Group, travelling regularly to local and area meetings. He was also part of the group of tourist operators who cooperated to build Fort Vermilion as a local tourist bureau, to encourage visitors passing through the area to stay and play in the Vermilion Bay area.

In 1998, Dad received the Ross Finch Recognition Award for outstanding contributions to the tourism industry, by the Patricia Vacationland, as well as being given World Recognition by the National Fresh Water Fishing Association Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin, elected 1998 Legendary Guide for outstanding performance in freshwater sport fishing.

Dad encouraged and cooperated with fishing studies by the MNR, to increase the viability of the fish stocks on Eagle Lake, even hosting scientists who implanted radio receivers in muskies to track musky movements and habits on the lake. Dad always taught and stressed good sportsmanship and conservation to his clients, practicing voluntary catch and release long before it became mandatory.

As a “Legendary Guide”, Dad caught MANY prize sized walleyes, northern, trout, and muskies, once having 2 – 35 pound muskies jump into his lap on the same day. Dad knew where the fish were on Eagle Lake even when no one else could find them. After having guided on Eagle for 71 years, Dad retired from fishing at the age of 83. He had fished and hunted with 4 generations of family, friends, guides and tourists on Eagle Lake, from Eulerʼs Camp, Cedar Point, Andy Myerʼs Camp, and Vermilion Bay Lodge, as well as Teggau Lake, Clearwater and many other area lakes, both for business, and for relaxation, in winter and summer. As a quiet, humble man, Dad rarely talked about his clients, some of whom were rich and famous people, whose names you would recognize.

In winters, Dad worked at several different jobs, including with his brothers at Euler Motors, driving the wrecker, cutting pulp wood to sell to the paper mill, working the mill call crew, as well as the yearly trip to different Sports Shows in Chicago and Wisconsin to attract new customers to Eulerʼs Camp.

Dad served as a juror several times on jury duty in Kenora, which to him was a high honour, bringing out his best suit, his well shined shoes, and reminding him of his RCMP days. He also served for several years on the Local Roads Board. Dad seldom passed by a hitchhiker, having compassion on those who walked in the heat and the cold, helping them along their way.

Besides all those things, Dad coached and/or helped with Toddʼs hockey teams, refʼd at Marlayneʼs intramural basketball games as he could, and attended games and practices when he couldnʼt coach, played menʼs baseball on the Kindelane Generals with Todd for a few seasons, and bowled with his brother in the menʼs league. 3 generations of Euler boys played football for the DHS Eagles.  Another highlight was when he attended Marlayneʼs RCMP graduation.

In his retirement years, besides guiding, Dad helped Joel on his sawmill for a while, hung around with Bob, helped Rick up north, built his garage, maintained his yard and firewood supply, shovelled and plowed so much snow, and worked as a handyman for the Hron Family at Cedar Point until he couldnʼt anymore. He also maintained a few summer cottages for some American friends, looking after their yards and ensuring their safety. The covid crisis was very difficult on Dad, as he missed the smiling faces of all his returning family and friends, bringing news from different corners of north America.

As the terrible dementia began to take its toll, Dad lived a very quiet life at home in Waldhof, visiting with Pat for coffee, delivering his papers, feeding the birds, and as he began to give things up, the hardest for him to give up was the feeding of his precious birds, which he began to just watch from his favourite chair. As a long suffering Maple Leafs and Blue Jays Fan, Dadʼs life was filled with hockey and football and baseball, and curling, not forgetting his deep love for his favourite show, Heartland, which reminded him so much of home on the farm. He looked forward to Toddʼs Sunday visits, and phone calls from Marlayne out west.

Our precious Dad, Gordon Euler is survived by 3 children, Vicki, Todd, and Marlayne (Gary), 6 grandchildren, Joel (Amanda), Heidi (Mike), Jeremy (Hansi), Riley, twins Will and Trinity, and 4 great- granddaughters, Claire, Emily, Paige and Natalie, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Of his immediate family, Dad was predeceased by his wife of 58 years Juliana, his 2 brothers Martin and Richard, his sister Anne, both his parents, his sister-in-law Mona, and many many old and dear friends and relatives. His entrance in to Heaven must have been a great huge party, as Dad came to a very peaceful relationship with Jesus in his last few years.

Many thanks to Chantelle, Andrea, Tammy, Tamara, Laura, Michelle, Danna, Natalie, Samantha and Amber, and all the rest of the Health Professionals, Pharmacy Staff and Amanda at Wellwise who helped make Dadʼs final years at home so much more comfortable. God bless you all for all you do.