Leon Nicolas Uytterhagen

Leon Nicolas Uytterhagen, 87, of Lethbridge, Alberta, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, surrounded by family.

Born in Gladmar, Saskatchewan, on June 22, 1939, Leon was the son of Leon and Catherine Uytterhagen, early homesteaders in the prairie grasslands of southern Saskatchewan. Growing up in a small farming community after the ‘30s, Leon learned at an early age the value of a dollar, the honour in hard work, and the importance of family and community.

Like many at that time, he set off on his own at the young age of 15, working at the Gladmar Coop and in the oil patch. He started dating Ethel Kaip, a local gal, when he was 18. They married a year later and lived for short periods in Gladmar and Pincher Creek, Alberta. When the local gas station in Minton came up for sale, they worked a creative deal and were soon proud owners and operators of Leon’s Hillside Service. They spent 17 busy but happy years raising a family and running the business, expanding it to include a full service auto repair shop, lunch counter, fuel delivery and tire business. Leon took on additional jobs when opportunity arose, including school bus driver, crop spraying, and tow truck services; he also farmed for a number of years. Leon had a work ethic bar none, and believed that every job was worth doing well, a mantra he shared and lived by his entire life.

They gave up the gas station in 1979, and at age 40, Leon reinvented himself, taking on a new career as a Customs Officer with the Canada Border Services Agency. It required some textbook learning to complete his Grade 12 diploma, but he never looked back. He loved the role, and he was good at it. He was soon promoted to Superintendent, Dog Handler & Intel Officer, Customs Drug Team for Western Canada. He and his drug-detecting dog Ranger were a common sight at airports and border crossings and made some record-breaking busts. Leon loved his country and his dog; he took his protector role seriously and he loved catching bad guys.

Seventeen years later, Leon retired from the Agency and he and Ethel took on an entirely new adventure by moving to Foremost, Alberta in 1997. They quickly settled in and made many friends. Leon rediscovered his exceptional ability to fix things, especially but not exclusively golf cars, and enjoyed finding and flipping good deals. His “wheeling and dealing” skills were soon legendary. He also enjoyed volunteering in the community, visiting Rory’s hardware store, golfing, and fishing at the local dam with Ethel and his friends Toad and Ernie.

In early 2020, they moved to Grandview Village in Lethbridge where they made a host of new friends. Leon enjoyed taking on volunteer roles at the condo building, playing poker with Wally and spades with Bill and Ruth, watching documentaries, listening to music, and visiting with family and friends.

Leon was a force who took life in great big bites. He was tough - incredibly strong both physically and mentally and was often called on as a volunteer first responder. He could fix anything, drive anything, face anything. He was inventive and loved tinkering with anything mechanical in his garage. He was adventurous, and never said no to a new experience, be it skydiving in his 70s or travelling throughout Nicaragua. Later in life Leon and Ethel especially loved vacationing with their kids –the Maritime’s, the West Coast, Ireland, cruises, and of course Vegas. Poker and fishing were passions right up to the end, and he had a special place in his heart for Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Pinehouse Lake, Saskatchewan,

But most of all, Leon loved his family and he followed their lives closely. No accomplishment was too small to celebrate, no hardship too big to overcome. He always had their back.

He is survived by his wife, Ethel Uytterhagen (nee Kaip), his sister, Theresa Frischholz, four children, Cindy Lou Hesje (Mark Hesje), Shelley Dawn Uytterhagen (Scott Christensen), Wendy Lee Uytterhagen (Jeff Buzila) and Cody Leon Uytterhagen (Gloria Diliberto), six grandchildren, Jade Hesje (Ian Mulholland and step children Eric and Autumn), Ian Hicks (Cindy Mullie, step-daughter Jlynn Brecht), Leah Hesje, Eric Hicks, Emma Uytterhagen and Sam Uytterhagen, one great grandchild, Sadie May Hicks, alongside many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his infant son Ricky Lee, brothers Jake, Harold and Odaf, and brother-in-law Tony.

The family is deeply appreciative of the tender care Leon received at Chinook Regional Hospital and St. Michael’s Health Centre in Lethbridge.

A Celebration of Leon’s life will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion Lethbridge Branch, 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S., Lethbridge, AB, on Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 12:00 Noon – 2:00 P.M.; refreshments and sweets will be served. There will also be a Celebration of life at the Community Hall, Minton, Saskatchewan, on Sunday, July 5, 2026 from 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.; lunch will be served. We encourage you to bring and share your best Leon stories.

In lieu of flowers, and if friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to your local Royal Canadian Legion, the Minton Cemetery, or a charity of choice.

Over the last few years Leon often said of his life that he “had a good run”. And while this is most definitely true, his family and friends will miss him dearly.