Obituary of John Heisler

Heisler, John John Edwin Heisler was born on November 11th 1940 to Jacob and Katherine Heisler in Unity Saskatchewan. He is predeceased by his parents, and his brothers Jack and Ed. Left to mourn his loss is his wife of 59 years, Mary, his four children, Cindy of Canmore, Pam (Ron) Aguilar of Calgary, Jason of Calgary and Bradley (Carmen) of Vegreville, and his five grandchildren - Keaton, Diego, Rylee, Milan, and Devyn whom he deeply cherished. John started his life of hard work when he was seven, delivering groceries in Unity, accompanied by his dog “Dog”. He worked much of his life for the Co-op, a career which took him and his beloved bride to Macklin Saskatchewan, where his two daughters were born. The family then moved to Hepburn Saskatchewan where his two sons were born. After several moves in Saskatchewan John led his family to Alberta and they lived happily in Ponoka for several years before finally settling in Vegreville where the roots grew deep. Throughout this time John worked to support his family but always found time for camping trips, woodworking, fishing, and perfecting his napping skills. As time passed his hobbies fell to the wayside (notwithstanding the napping which improved with time) as he assumed the role of grandfather, spending countless hours with his progeny. Of all his achievements and roles in life, grandfather is what he would want to be remembered (although this point may be argued by the lovely and sturdy pieces of furniture that occupy a place in the homes of his family and friends). John’s love for his grandchildren knew no bounds and even under intense scrutiny he would not pick a favourite. His sense of humour and love of laughter lives on in them. As a lifelong hockey fan, John would always find time to watch his beloved Oilers play, and was able to watch McDavid get his 1000th point. Not many things irritated John, but sandwiches with “only 3 slices” of bologna and the Oilers faltering powerplay were two of the biggest. John and Mary grew together and had grand plans for their retirement including travel to religious pilgrimages throughout Europe. Upon Mary suffering her stroke in 2013, John adapted and became doting spouse, focussing all his energy into caring for his wife. Just days after his 84th birthday, John decided it was time for a final nap, took one last snore and peacefully passed away while surrounded by loved ones. He will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, caring father and doting grandfather. Memories of him will live in our hearts and never leave. The family would like to thank Saint Joseph’s General Hospital staff for the care John received during his final months. We also thank the staff at Heritage House for a decade of supporting our parents and taking Dad’s occasional stern advocacy in stride; he greatly appreciated the efforts of staff in caring for our mother. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, November 22, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Martin Of Tours Roman Catholic Church in Vegreville, Alberta with Father Robert Lee as the Celebrant. Inurnment to follow in Riverside Cemetery. John was a supporter of several charities and the family requests that in lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local chapter of the Cancer Society.