Obituary
Armand Frederick Wigglesworth, CM, SBroStJ, BEM, CD, KLJ, MMKLJ, CIM, PMgr

WIGGLESWORTH, Armand Frederick, CM. SBroStJ. BEM. CD (3clasps), KLJ. MMKLJ. CIM, PMgr., 89, of Summerville Centre, died on Sunday, July 20, 2008, in Queens General Hospital, Liverpool.

Born in Liverpool on August 17, 1918, he was the son of the late Charles and Mabel L. (Winters) Wigglesworth. Educated in the old Liverpool Academy, and Saint Mary's University, as a mature student, attaining the CIM designation. Later in Toronto, he was granted the PMgr. designation.

He served five years in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War and was cited and awarded the British Empire Medal (Military) in 1946 for his inventions and improvements to pilot training systems that were essential to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Post war, he served more than 50 years in Canada's Militia. As commanding officer of the 14th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, he represented his regiment, where he was presented, with his family, to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in 1964. He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 28 (Ottawa) Service Battalion in 1976, serving until his retirement to Nova Scotia in 1983. He also served as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 84th Field Battery (RCA) of Yarmouth, N.S. until December, 2005.

His awards include the Order of Canada, British Empire Medal (Military), SBroSt.J, 1939-1945 Volunteer Service, Coronation Medal, Centennial Medal, Canada 125 Commemorative Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal, Canada's Centennial Medal in 1967 and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. He was also awarded the Canadian Forces decoration (3 Bars) Medal.

In 1969, he received an Honorary membership in the Canadian Red Cross Society. He was granted the title of Knight in the Order of Lazarus in 1995, and in 2003 he was honoured by receiving a MMKLJ In 2002, he was honoured by having the Research Centre in the new Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool named for him.

He was an active amateur radio operator from 1948 to the year 2000, and held the calls VE1US and VE3YE. He was a member of the National and International Quarter Century Club, receiving his 55 year pin in 2003. He was for years a member of the Queens County Amateur Radio Club and a former member of the Nova Scotia Amateur Radio Association.

He began his work career in 1935-1936 as an apprentice electrician at the Mersey Paper Company, and after the World War Two, he left Mersey after re-joining the company for a year or two, and became the Superintendent of Power and Water Utilities for the Town of Liverpool, and the Nova Scotia Water Authority. After three years in that job, he joined the federal government as Regional Director of Nova Scotia-Newfoundland EMO. Moving to Toronto in 1974, he became Regional Director, of Ontario for Emergency Preparedness Canada. He was called to Ottawa in 1976 to take over the position of Director of Federal-Provincial Arrangements, and later became Director of Operations for Canada. He designed and implemented a National Plan for the 1979 re-entry of the American space ship Skylab.

He retired to Summerville Centre in 1983, where he became a freelance writer of two weekly columns (one sport) for the Liverpool Advance, feature articles for the Halifax Herald, and other publications.

In 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2005, 2006, he published six volumes of Anecdotes of Queens County, N.S. He served for many years as a Justice of the Peace, and in later years as a Commissioner of Oaths. He also was a Mediator for the Youth Alternative Society. He was the Canadian Red Cross Society's Divisional president for an unprecedented four terms, to see the Red Cross Headquarters new building completed in Halifax. Later, he served on the National Executive; was a member of a NATO committee in Brussels; was the first Chairman of the Nova Scotia Senior Citizen's Committee; Past president of the Maritime Group, RCAF Association; 1st Vice President of the N.S. Council of the Saint John Ambulance Association; past president of the Maritime Group RCAF Association; President of the Atlantic Section of the Maritime Water Works Association; President of the Royal Nova Scotia United Services Institute; Board member of the Halifax Military Museum; member of the Royal Artillery Association; Past president of Branch 038, Royal Canadian legion and the Queens County Boy Scout Council. He also served as Chairman of the Queens County Historical Society and several terms as Chairman for the Museum's Board of Trustees. He was a Member of the board of the Queens County VON, the Arthritis Society; chaired the Rails to Trails group and the Liverpool High School Board.

He was a volunteer fire fighter for 17 years and was founding president for the Rossignol Senior Citizen's Amateur Radio Club. He was a member of Burns Lodge, Halifax, and later transferred to the Masonic Lodge in Liverpool. He was active in Saint James Anglican church. A past president of the Liverpool Kinsmen club and a member of K40. He was a founding member of the RCAF Association, and of the 101 Privateer Wing in Liverpool. He received recognition for 50 years service at the Association's National Convention, in 1998.

He was particularly noted for introducing innovative and improved programs for the organizations he served. As a result, his awards included a Citation from NASA in the United States for outstanding performance during the Skylab incident in 1979; a Life Member of the American Water Works Association (50 Year award). He received the Ross Leonard Dobbin Award and the Ira P. McNab Awards from that association; Royal Canadian Life Membership and Meritorious Service Medal with Palm Leaf; a medal depicting Honourary Membership in the Canadian Red Cross Society, and received the Queens County Award of Merit in 1992 for contributions to the development of sports as a player, journalist, volunteer and historian.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey MacDonald; two daughters, Jane Snailham, Halifax, and Joanne Lavers, Ladysmith, B.C.; three grandsons, Scott Snailham, (Kelly), Halifax, and Sean Lavers, Calgary, and Matthew Lavers (Dionne) Lethbridge, Alberta; and three great-grandsons, Lauchlan Gordon Lavers, Calgary, and Karson James Lavers and Brodie David Lavers, Lethbridge, Alberta. He was pre-deceased by his first wife Mildred M. (McWilliam) and second wife, Noma E. (Taylor).

Visitation will be Thursday, July 24, 2008 from 7 to 9 pm with a legion service at 7 pm from Chandlers' Funeral Chapel, Liverpool. Funeral service will be Friday, July 25, 2008 at 11 am from Trinity Anglican Church, Liverpool, Rev. Donald Lawton officiating. Burial will be in St. James Anglican Cemetery, Hunt's Point. Family flowers only. Donations would be appreciated to the Queens County Branch, Canadian Cancer Society; Queens County VON, Canadian Red Cross Society, Queens County Museum, Saint James Anglican Church, Hunts Point, or charity of choice. Online condolences may be made to *www.chandlersfuneral.com