JOHN SKIBA, passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2018 at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. He was a strong and vibrant 86 years old. 

John is survived by his wife Jacqueline Skiba and sons Fred (Louise) Pearson, Wes (Ledean) Skiba and Randy (Lizanne) Skiba. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren: Katina, Loren, Coral, Paige, Reed, Sarika and Torryn and one great-grandchild, Aiden. 

John’s parents, Janos and Maria, had eight children with John being the youngest. John is survived by sister Annie of Calgary as well as many nieces and nephews who he was most grateful to connect  with in the past couple of years. John was predeceased by siblings Mary, Helen, Elizabeth, Julius, Robert, and Louis.

Janos and Maria came from Hungary in the early 1900s, first to the United States, and then to the Lethbridge area. Janos worked very hard, starting his new life in Canada by working in the coal mines near Hardieville. Then, through great sacrifice, they acquired farm land. John passed on his pride in this heritage to all his family. 

John spent his life building up the family farm South East of Lethbridge. He had a love for his work that few people are so fortunate to have. He married Jackie in 1963 and the farm became part of both of them. In 1999, they began transitioning the family farm over to their son Wes, but John was never very far off from the farm, either physically or in thought. This was the case to his very last days. In his retirement years, he also enjoyed gardening and wood working, but family, especially his grand children, was his greatest joy. 

John also cared deeply about friends, neighbours and community. He was always one to help someone else where he could. He was a welcoming person, always up for a visit. 

He set many examples one could live by: do right by others; be kind and generous; work hard for what is important; connect with other people. He is dearly missed. 

A Celebration of John’s Life will be held at MCNALLY COMMUNITY CENTRE, (intersection of Township Road 8-2 and Range Road 21-1), Lethbridge County, AB, on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 2:00 P.M.

 

To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

• Date : 2018-08-02
• Location : Calgary, Alberta