Obituary of Dennis Lloyd Gillard

Dennis Llyod Gillard passed away in Calgary, Alberta, on February 4th, 2025.

Dennis was born in Claresholm, Alberta, on April 3, 1950 to Lloyd and Beth Gillard. Dennis spent his first years in the Claresholm area, where his dad worked for different farmers in the district. In 1956, the family moved to Calgary, and it was here Dennis took lessons on the accordion. In 1963, there was another move to a farm near Cheadle, and in 1965 to a farm at Langdon. The final move was in 1967 when the family moved to a farm east of Lacombe.

Dennis attended grade 10 in Lacombe, and after that decided working was a better choice than going to school. He took a semester at NAIT to become a parts man and worked at Weidner Motors.

In the early 70’s he and cousin Tim Gillard, spent some time working in the Arctic. 

In 1973, Dennis started working the livestock hauling business with Fred Parker. He went on to own his own trucks under Dennis Gillard Trucking, still hauling livestock. 

Dennis was married to Debbie Goddard in 1973. In 1978, their son Brent was born and in 1981, their daughter Kyla. The family then moved to Tees, where Dennis drove school bus and did custom haying and a bit of farming. Dennis lived near Clive for a few years and then the final move to the acreage at Delburne.  

He again went into the trucking business working for White Shadow and later purchasing the trucks to establish G5 Transport. The last few years he hauled equipment and goods to the US with return hauls of mostly farm equipment.  

Dennis is survived by son Brent, daughter Kyla and grandchildren Sadie, Kaden and Ruby, his aunt, Margaret Archibald, and many cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his father Lloyd in 1986; mother Beth in 2010; and by his sister Debbie in 2011.

Dennis’s Celebration of Life will be held at the Tees Community Hall on March 8, 2025 at 1:30pm. Condolences to Dennis’ family may be emailed to meaningful@telus.net. Please indicate “Gillard” in the subject line. 

Arrangements in care of
Meaningful Memorials Funeral Service
A locally owned cremation and funeral provider
serving Red Deer and all of Central Alberta
587-876-4944