Funeral service at Spruce Meadows honours founder Ron Southern

Hundreds of people packed into the riding hall at Spruce Meadows to remember its founder, Ron Southern.

Calgarians, dignitaries, family and friends gathered to attend the funeral service for Calgary businessman and Spruce Meadows founder Ronald D. Southern who passed away last week at the age of 85.

Southern and his wife founded Spruce Meadows back in 1975, turning the property just outside Calgary city limits into a world-renowned equestrian facility.

Before that, he founded the ATCO Group and built a business worth $19B.

Southern received a number of awards for his work over his life-time including:

He was also inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and was made an honourary member of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation.

A number of dignitaries attended Thursday’s memorial including Governor-General David Johnston, Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Premier Rachel Notley and Interim Federal Finance Minister Rona Ambrose.

Spruce Meadows Senior Vice-President Ian Allison presided over the service and says Southern would have been pleased with the ceremony.

“Indeed it is no exaggeration to say gathering here in the Spruce Meadows' Riding Hall is to gather in RD’s cathedral,” said Allison. “It is here that RD spent countless hours over the last 40 years engaging in his passion for horses.”

Linda Southern-Heathcott, Ron’s daughter, has been President and CEO of Spruce Meadows for the past decade. She told the crowd that her dad was a proud Canadian, Calgarian, father and husband.

“Dad had the highest of standards, ethics and he was a traditionalist. He was an extremely proud Canadian. He was a tough task-master but he was predictable and he was a humble person,” she said. “Beneath that strong front he was a very kind man. He stood up for those who worked hard and worked with them.”

“Our dad was Linda’s and my hero. He touched the lives of so many all over the world,” said Nancy Southern. “Dad was a leader and a man of great courage.”

Olympian Ian Miller spoke at the service and said Southern was a natural leader and was destined for greatness.

“I was drawn to this man as many of us are drawn to our heroes,” said Miller. “Of Calgary and Spruce Meadows he loved to say ‘an unlikely sport in an unlikely place’, as he and Marg began their 40 year journey, destination Spruce Meadows, I was always struck by their teamwork, their situational leadership, their strength and determination to lean into the traces to achieve what to many would seem impossible. RD never allowed good to get in the way of great. Good was only the launchpad, the beginning, inevitably great would be the result. And so the creation of the best showjumping venue that the world has ever known, Spruce Meadows.”

Several Calgary landmarks will also pay tribute to the philanthropist and visionary and the flame on top of the Calgary Tower will be lit in Southern’s honour.

Watch the livestream of the service HERE.