About 400 people attended an emotional gathering Sunday to remember murdered St. Albert senior Ron Worsfold.
“My dad would not want anyone to be sad,” Worsfold’s daughter Sandy said. “Nobody wants to be mourned. We didn’t want to bring about this dark despair. We wanted it to airy and bright and a celebration of the man who he was.”
The 75-year-old was last seen at his home on July 7. His remains were found in a rural area near Stony Plain a few days later.
Sunday’s gathering was a chance for family and friends to share stories about Worsfold, described as an active senior who worked three jobs.
The avid Oilers fan worked as an usher at Rexall as well as Rogers Place.
“Great person to be around. Always smiling. Always there for everyone to help out,” said former co-worker Kerri Schell. “Great part of the team, that’s going to be missed.”
He was also a familiar face at the St. Albert Petro Canada where he worked for more than 30 years.
“I’d pop into Petro Canada and I’d buy my lottery tickets there and Ron would buy me a coffee,” recalled Brian Dewan. “I don’t think I paid for a coffee for 15 years. He’d say ‘oh buy me one next week.’ Well, Ron doesn’t drink coffee.”
“He had no idea of the impact he had on people. It was just a smile. It was just a friendly face that he would show to everybody every day,” daughter Sandy said.
The ‘celebration of life’ was held at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park, just across the street from the apartment building Worsfold lived in and managed for more than 30 years.
“The community has been so kind,” Sandy said. “We want people to remember his positivity – his infectious spirit.”
An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday morning and his death was deemed a homicide, although police have not released the cause of his death.
28-year-old Beryl Musila has been charged with first-degree murder as well as indignity to human remains.
She is expected to make her next court appearance on July 24.
with files from Kim Smith
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