Close to 300 people packed the chapel at Victory Memorial Park Friday afternoon for a celebration of life for Craig Widdifield, the man gunned down in a Morgan Crossing parking lot April 24 in what police have called a "targeted, gang-associated killing."
While family and many friends filed into the chapel to a slide show of pictures of Widdifield, wife Teresa and their son, others gathered too.
Outside the building, police cars blocked entranceways to the parking lots and uniformed RCMP officers watched those arriving for the memorial, while several sharp-eyed men in suits and ties stayed in the lobby during the event, evidently scanning the crowd and late arrivals for any sign of a potential disturbance of the gathering.
Many of those in the crowd were older members of the community with ties to Widdifield and his family; many others were young people of the same generation as Widdifield, who died at age 28.
Most came to remember him as he was described by friends and family members: a "loving son, husband, father and brother," noted for his humour, his storytelling and practical jokes, his keen interest in the world around him, and above all, his generosity.
But in a short and sometimes tearful address to mourners, Widdifield's father, Jim, had a specific message for those who may have been former associates in what has been acknowledged as his son's former gang-oriented lifestyle.
"A huge piece of our lives has been torn away by a senseless act," he said. "There's a lot of anger and fear out there."
But Jim Widdifield appealed to those who had known his son not to act out of a desire for revenge, but to share any information they may have about his death with police.
"Violence begets violence," he said. "This chain of violence must stop now. We don't want Craig's death to stand for nothing or have been in vain.
"Please honour Craig by not sullying his memory with more violence."
Underlining the message was a song specially written for the occasion by the elder Widdifield, who is known to many in the community as keyboardist for the Compound Blues Band.
Sung by Calla Krause, with piano accompaniment by Barry Powell, its lyrics were a strong reiteration of his theme:
"A piece of our hearts, a piece of our soul has gone with you, but you're gone, gone, gone… this anger and this fear must stop, stop right now, before other lives are lost."
Many in the audience were tearful when Craig Widdifield's wife spoke at the lectern clutching their less than two-year-old son.
She recalled his "silliness, story-telling and jokes." but also spoke of a loss it was hard for her to accept.
"It breaks my heart to know that you're not going to be able to teach Cayden to ride a bike… This isn't a goodbye. I'll see you later. I'll love you forever and ever."
Pastor Jeff Renaud read a statement from Widdifield's mother, Nadia. She recalled an easy-going young man with a fondness for practical jokes, who had managed to graduate high school without ever appearing to do any homework.
"We lost him for a few years," her statement said. "Then he met Teresa and we got him back again."