Allan Ralph "Gunner" Laing

Allan Ralph “Gunner” Laing

November 17, 1952 – March 16, 2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Gunner on March 16th. He passed peacefully, with his family by his side. 

Allan is survived by his daughter, Alison Michel (Jeff), grandchildren Carson and Morgan; and son, Ryan.  Additionally, Allan is survived by his siblings:  Gail Laing, Vivian Walden, Kellie (Joe) Mills, and Don (Twyla) Laing; brothers-in-law Dan (Sandra) Knowles, Jim (Surj) Knowles; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, friends, and his life-long best friend, Bill Bishop.

Allan was predeceased by the love of his life, Cheryl in 2022; his parents Gordon and Eileen (Nelson) Laing; mother and father-in-law: Geraldine and Robert Knowles; siblings: Karen Vetter, Cliff, and Bob; sisters-in-law: Verna and Ann; and brother-in-law, Carl Walden. 

Gunner was born to Gordon and Eileen (Nelson) Laing in 1952 in Cut Knife, the fifth out of eight children.  He grew up on the Laing Farm in the Gallivan District and attended school in Cut Knife until Grade 11 when he had had enough.  He stayed home to help his dad and Uncle Calvin farm. 

Throughout his childhood, he had a keen interest in all things mechanical and spent much of his time taking things apart and building things and enjoyed helping his dad with mechanical work.  He spent much of his childhood with his friend up the road Bill Bishop and his cousin Les Laing getting into all kinds of mischief…Oh the stories!

Gunner had two jobs off the farm before he came back home to farm full-time in the early 70’s.  He worked at Findlay’s Feed Lot making and hauling square bales and then he worked for Harold Breault’s gravel grinding outfit as a truck driver.  Gunner had many stories he loved to tell from these times.

Around the time he returned home to farm with his dad and do mechanical work in the shop, he was introduced to a friend of his cousin Georgina.  Her name was Cheryl Knowles and she seemed to quite like this wavy-haired young man.  In 1977, Cheryl asked Allan to be her grad escort.  The rest, they say, was history and the two were married on November 1, 1980. 

They moved a mobile home onto the family farm and in June of 1984, they welcomed their daughter, Alison.  In October of 1987, their family was complete with the addition of their son, Ryan.  It didn’t matter much what the kids were named because Gunner was famous for his nicknames…Alison was known as Iggy and Ryan was Nub.  In 1991, the family moved across the yard to the new house they built.

Gunner and Cheryl raised the kids on the family farm, keeping busy with farming, and taking the kids to their extracurricular activities.  Gunner served as a councillor for the RM of Cut Knife for many years and retired from farming in 2003.  He then worked full-time in the shop doing repairs for others until it eased into part-time work, then retirement. 

Following retirement, Gunner kept busy with his wide variety of interests including trains and any old engines, antique tractors and trucks, reading, Monty Python, watching You-Tube, camping, building/restoring antique trucks with Ryan, road trips, and car shows.  He even had business cards made up to identify himself as an “Antique Truck Enthusiast.”

Gunner loved being a grandpa to Carson and Morgan.  The kids adored him and called him “Grandpa Gunner.”  He would love to chat on the phone about the “Little Michels” and get updates on how they were doing and what they were up to.  He enjoyed lots of car shows, camping, museum trips, and lots of adventures with them.   He was a good buddy to Carson (a.k.a. Skizzix) and loved sharing facts about vehicles with him.  Morgan (a.k.a. Mini Mo, Sküg, Mini Mo Morgan Michel) loved him so much and always looked forward to when Grandpa Gunner was coming for a sleepover.  She wanted to know how many nights he was staying and loved when he stayed for lots of nights.  She loved poking fun at his big belly and they would always laugh and joke together.  Both kids loved it when Grandpa would give them his pocket change for their piggy banks whenever he saw them.

Gunner will be remembered for his sense of humour, stories, wisdom and most of all his love for his family.

A private family service will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2024.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Allan’s name to the North Battleford Humane Society, Cut Knife Wildlife Federation, Western Development Museum North Battleford, or the Cut Knife Clayton McLain Memorial Museum. 

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to: Alicia and Darcy of Cut Knife Ambulance Service, the staff at Battleford's Union Hospital emergency and palliative care departments, Elle Dell at Eternal Memories Funeral Service and Crematorium, and to everyone who has supported us during this time.