Deen, John

JOHN DEEN, of Lethbridge, AB, beloved husband, father, papa and friend, passed away peacefully at St. Michael's Health Centre - Palliative Care Unit, on Friday, October 20, 2023 at the age of 67 years. 

John is lovingly remembered by his wife of 38 years, Shirley; his two children: Sean (Chantelle) and Kevin (Lissa); and his five grandchildren: Malcolm, Tyson, Addy, Halle and Asher. He will also be missed by his siblings: Gertie (Frank) Haansma, Jane (Tony) Mulder, Maynard (Joyce) Deen, and Jeanette (Cecil) Greydanus; and siblings-in-law: Dennis (Adele) Stuber, Marcella Purdue, Max Stuber, Pat Laatsch, and Gerald (Sherry) Stuber, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. 

John was born to Herman and Agnes Deen in Drayton, ON, on November 6, 1955. He moved out west to Edmonton in the late 1970s, and married Shirley on September 7, 1985 in Regina, SK. They moved their young family to Taber in 1996, where John worked for Bethel Windows and Doors and significantly invested in the community through coaching soccer. He and Shirley moved to Lethbridge in 2012. 

Throughout his life, John demonstrated a steadfast trust in God, which became the foundation for his daily declaration, "Life is good!" This sentiment of gratitude and trust only deepened over the past year and a half of his battle with lung cancer. He enjoyed laughing with family and friends, hiking the trails at Waterton National Park, and worshiping alongside his church family at Parallel Church. His grandchildren knew their Papa as a fun-loving and vibrant character with a unique ability to make them laugh. 

Our family would like to express our deep appreciation for the exceptional care given to John by the members of the Jack Ady Cancer Centre, the staff of 4C at Chinook Regional Hospital and the compassionate care-givers at St. Michael's Health Centre Palliative Care Unit. He had an amazing team of doctors and nurses that he trusted and felt supported by throughout the past 18 months. 

A Memorial Service will be held at PARALLEL CHURCH, one mile east of Lethbridge on Hwy 3, on Thursday, October 26 at 2:00 PM with Pastor Kelly Stickel officiating. The Memorial Service will be live-streamed and may be viewed through John's obituary on the Cornerstone website. All are welcome to join us in joyfully remembering and honouring John and the life he lived.