LONDON, ON- Gerald Thomas Wardle, “Gerry” to his friends, died surrounded by his family at Victoria Hospital in London on November 24 after a courageous battle with ALS, a degenerative disease. He was 67.

Born to the late Thomas and Elizabeth Wardle in Cheshire England, Wardle immigrated to Canada in 1967 to seek his fortune. He found it in the trucking industry and worked independently and for several other companies before establishing Gerry’s Truck Centre, a family owned and operated Volvo Truck dealer, in 1982.

Richard Ross, currently the Vice President of Sales at Carrier Centres, knew Wardle for 25 years. They worked and socialized together.

“You get an idea of the kind of guy he was, he did not want anybody to spend money on flowers or to give a donation to any specific organization in lieu of flowers, but he wanted to support students who want to go to Fanshawe College who wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise to learn a trade to work in the transportation industry,” Ross told todaystrucking.com in a phone interview.

About 10 years ago, Ross said, a new Canadian just in from the Middle East, showed up and applied for work with Gerry. He had some mechanical skills and little else. Gerry put him in the pickup and took him out and bought him coveralls and boots and put him to work.  The guy said nobody had ever treated him that nicely before.

“Gerry lived life at ten tenths,” Ross said. “I’m smiling when I’m talking to you about him.”

His work brought him joy

Wardle settled in London, ON, where he met and married his wife, Susan White. They had six children, Michael, Lisa, Douglas, Monica, Barry and Tina. Wardle was a “phenomenal grandfather to Brianne, Madison, Lucas, Andrew, Dianna, Hillary and Abigail.

Wardle was brother of Donald (Lucy), Brian (Toni), Helen (Richard), Phillip (Dawn), Christopher (Sally), and Stephen and brother in law to Jim White (Sheila), Barry White (Kathy), Sharon Midgette (Chuck). He had numerous nieces and nephews and was predeceased by his brothers, John, David and Anthony.

Roy Mahipaul of Roy’s Diesel Injection Service in London goes back 40 years with Wardle. 

Mahipaul founded his diesel business a few years before Gerry opened up his own first garage in the ’70s. The two operations were neighbors.

“He was younger than me and always watching out for me.

“We both worked into the late hours into the night every night but he never left me alone. As long as my lights were on, he’d stay around to ensure everything was okay, ‘I’m not leaving as long as you’re alone here,’ is what he told me.”

Wardle’s obituary reads: “His passion for tractors and his beloved hay farming brought him much joy. His unsurpassable energy was like no other. Gerry had never ending determination, the biggest, warmest smile and a heart of gold.”

Mahipaul commented: “He was always helping new people in the industry.  And a lot of the people he taught in his shop went out and build their own businesses. And he helped them even when they were in competition with him.”

Anyone wishing to make a donation in memory of Wardle may do so to The Gerry Wardle Bursary Fund, which will aid deserving students in the Motive Power Program for technicians for years to come. On-line condolences are available through www.mcfarlane-roberts.ca.