Friday, August 25, 2023

By Lethbridge Herald Obituaries on August 25, 2023.

VAN LOO, James “Jim”

JAMES “JIM” RENE VAN LOO 1927 – 2023 On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, Jim passed away peacefully at the age of 96 years. He was born in Drumheller to Richard and Annie (née Bassaer) Van Loo. Jim married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn (née Dahl), in 1948. Children soon followed and the family moved to Lethbridge where Jim’s business, Van’s TV, thrived with the support of his many loyal customers.
Jim and Marilyn attended St Augustine’s Anglican Church and the Christian Tabernacle. Dad enjoyed curling and playing golf at the Country Club. He often watched televised sports, and was a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. He had a great collection of jazz recordings from the 1950s and 60s that he liked listening to.
Jim was predeceased by Marilyn in 2018 and his brother Robert in 2021. Left to remember him fondly are his children: Melaine (Nicholas Cooney) of Calgary, Darcy (Lilly) of Lethbridge, Randy of Invermere; his granddaughters Nicolette (Chris Cooke, Kaela, Moriah) of Lethbridge and Genevieve (Joel Goldberg, Oliver, Murphy) of Calgary; as well as his brother-in-law Dennis Dahl (Ruth) of White Rock; and sister-in-law Helen Van Loo of Edmonton.
A Memorial Service will be held at ST. AUGUSTINE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 411 – 11 Street South, Lethbridge, AB on Monday, August 28, 2023 at 1:30pm with Reverend Steve Bateman officiating.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

ZUBREY, Pauline

PAULINE ZUBREY 1925 – 2023 It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Pauline Zubrey of Lethbridge, passed away on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Chinook Regional Hospital at the age of 97 years.
Pauline is survived by her sister Julie; nephew John (Tosha) Ciesielski as well as her great-nephew Ryan (Abby Heggie) Ciesielski.
Pauline requested that no service be held. Cremation entrusted to Martin Brothers Funeral Chapels.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

CLIFTON, JJ

JJ CLIFTON 1973 – 2023 JJ Clifton of Lethbridge, beloved wife of Shaun Clifton, passed away peacefully at St. Micheals Palliative Care Hospital on Monday, August 21st, 2023 at the age of 50 years
Funeral arrangements to be announced when completed.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

GRANLIN, Marni

MARNI GRANLIN 1967 – 2023 Mrs. Marni Granlin of Lethbridge, beloved wife of Mr. Darren Granlin and loving mother to Shae-Lynn White and Jullian White, passed away at Foothills Medical Centre on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at the age of 55 years.
Cremation entrusted to Martin Brothers Funeral Chapels.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

LEFFERS, Jacqueline

JACQUELINE LEFFERS 1966 – 2023 Mrs. Jacqueline Leffers, of Iron Springs, loving wife of Mr. Glenn Leffers, went home to glory, peacefully with family by her side on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at the age of 56 years.
A Celebration of Jacqueline’s Life will be held at 1:00pm on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH 1100 – 40 Avenue North, Lethbridge, Alberta.
Family and friends are invited to a graveside service to be held prior, at 11:00am in the Coaldale Cemetery.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

BOWES, Derek

BOWES DEREK JAMES BOWES, of Lethbridge, passed away with family by his side on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at the age of 47 years.
Arrangements will be announced once completed.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

MARSH, Jennifer

MARSH JENNIFER RENAE MARSH, of Coaldale, beloved wife of Brad Hansen, passed away peacefully at St. Michael’s Health Centre – Palliative Care Unit with her loving family by her side on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at the age of 45 years.
Besides her loving husband Brad, Jennifer is the cherished mother of Madison Marsh and the bonus mother of Tayler (James) Pote of Lethbridge. She is also survived by her father Ronald (Kathy) Gschaid; brother Rod (Bobbi Geo) Gschaid and their kids, Rylan, Rustin, and Rigdon; parents-in-law Gilbert and Valerie Hansen; and brother-in-law Ryan Hansen, as well as numerous clients and friends.
She was predeceased by her mother Angelina “Angie” Gschaid.
A Celebration of Jennifer’s Life will be held at SOUTHMINSTER UNITED CHURCH, 1011 – 4 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 2:00 P.M., with a private Family Interment to follow.
In memory of Jennifer, donations may be made to the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation (crhfoundation.ca), Wood’s Homes Lethbridge (312 – 3 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 1Y9), Canadian Cancer Society (cancer.ca), Canadian Diabetes Association (diabetes.ca) or to St. Michael’s Health Centre (1400 9 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4V5).

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

CLARKE, John

MR. JOHN STEPHEN CLARKE 1928 – 2023 Mr. John Stephen Clarke of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Mrs. Denice Clarke, passed away at Chinook Regional Hospital on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at the age of 94 years.
John was born on October 21, 1928 and was raised and educated in Lamont, Alberta.
In 1945, John pursued a military career as a cadet, but was not deployed as the war ended. John returned to Edmonton and trained as a telegraph operator and worked for the CPR at numerous locations throughout Alberta.
John met Denice Watts at his posting in Rimbey, Alberta and they were married on June 2, 1953. They went on to have three children and recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
John is survived by his wife Denice; children Ken (Linda) Clarke, Lorraine (Sergio) Giordano, Barbara (Darin) Rayburn; grandchildren Amy, Ian, Kevin, Madisen and Ainsley as well as his great-grandchild Easton. John is also survived by his sister Mary McWilliam and Eunice Couet and numerous nieces and nephew.
Because of railroad job cuts, John accepted a position at Martin Bros. Ltd. in Lethbridge in 1965 where he became General Manager shortly thereafter and retained that position until semi-retirement in 1987. John served his community by volunteering as a member of the Rotary Club, Elder of the Presbyterian Church, Royal Canadian Legion, Chamber of Commerce and Miner’s Library.
Retirement enabled John to enjoy his hobbies including taxidermy, fishing, hunting, camping, travel, with a special interest and passion for woodworking.
John cherished his time spent with family and friends and will be truly missed.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at 12:00pm on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at MARTIN BROTHERS WATERTON SUITE, 610 – 4 STREET SOUTH, Lethbridge, Alberta.
A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00pm, on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at MARTIN BROTHERS RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610, 4 STREET SOUTH, Lethbridge, Alberta, with Reverend Daniel Surya, officiating. To watch the service via livestream, please go to https://www.mbfunerals.com/obituary/John-Clarke and scroll to the bottom of John’s obituary page.
A Private Family Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

DIETRICH, Michael

DIETRICH MICHAEL DIETRICH, of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Lillian Dietrich, passed away peacefully at the Chinook Regional Hospital, on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at the age of 79 years.
Michael was born in 1943 to German parents, Michael and Katharina Dietrich, in the small farming community of Birk, Romania. It was the height of World War II and, like so many others, Michael’s family was displaced from their homeland and became refugees separated by the war, eventually reuniting in Austria in 1949. In 1950, they immigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal where the family grew with the births of his brother, Henry, and then his sister, Gertrude.
At the age of 17, Michael attended Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Hons Political Science) in 1966. He went on to study law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1969.
While working in Prince Edward Island in the summer of 1966, and completing his legal studies, Michael met Lillian Legge, a registered nurse. The two went on to marry and created a loving relationship that lasted for 57 years. The couple took up residence in Halifax, and raised a family of two girls, Marlene and Katharina (Katie).
Michael soon went on, in partnership, to found his own law firm, and his career as a trial lawyer took its origin. The practice originally focused on both family and criminal law, but Michael’s passion was the latter. He became an established and successful criminal defence lawyer and during his career appeared before Courts in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, and in Ottawa, before the Supreme Court of Canada.
In 1982, the family relocated to Lethbridge, Alberta. There, Michael crossed the aisle and became a Crown Prosecutor from 1983 until 1999, when he founded the firm Michael Dietrich Law Offices, once again providing defence counsel in criminal law matters.
Over a 53-year career, Michael has been a mentor to dozens of lawyers/professionals who evolved professionally and went on to create successful law practices of their own throughout Canada. The knowledge and experience that Michael honed throughout his career has provided dependable legal advice to individuals, corporations, and government entities Canada wide. As a popular speaker on criminal law issues, Michael presented to bodies in Canada, the United States, and elsewhere.
Michael always possessed a great curiosity and insatiable appetite for world history and politics. He explored both over his lifetime. Michael’s passion, however, was the law, of which he was a continuing student. He craved a good debate, and the cerebral argument it engaged.
Michael always emphasized respect for the rule of law, and the process. He always promoted respect between lawyers, and endorsed an appreciation of the judiciary, whose men and women make difficult decisions daily that affect the right and liberty of our citizenry.
Michael’s love of family was ever strong and unwavering. He was a committed and dedicated husband and father, and a doting grandfather. His values were engrained by his mother and father, of whom he always spoke and always revered.
In later years, Michael became something of an intrepid traveller, visiting Europe, the United States, Asia, and Australia, where he met many new friends, all of whom came to love him.
Michael’s influence in our lives will survive his passing.
Michael leaves behind Lillian, his wife of 52 years, his daughters Marlene and Katie; Katie’s husband, Jamie; his granddaughter Macaila; his brother Henry, his sister Gertrude; Gertrude’s partner, Bob; and many, many other friends and family across the world.
Michael was predeceased by his beloved granddaughter, Tanesha.
A Celebration of Michael’s Life will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2825 – 32 Street South, Lethbridge, AB on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. with Pat Siedlecki officiating. The Celebration of Life will be live-streamed and may be viewed through Michael’s obituary on the Cornerstone website.
Cremation entrusted to Cornerstone Funeral Home.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

WILLIS, Allen

ALLEN THOMAS WILLIS 1946 – 2023 Mr. Allen Thomas Willis of Lethbridge, passed away at St. Michael’s Palliative Care SMH, on Monday, August 14, 2023, at the age of 77 years.
A private service will be held.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

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