Obituary for
John Kenneth DeLong
DeLONG
John Kenneth DeLong passed away peacefully November 20, 2018 in Olds, surrounded by the love of his family at the age of 88 years old. John was born August 5, 1930 in Rosetown, SK to Kenneth and Grace DeLong. He was the eldest and only son in a family of 3 children. The DeLongs were descendants of loyalist John DeLong who came to New Brunswick from the US in 1775. The DeLong family lived in Magee, SK at the time of John’s birth. They then moved to Anglia, SK where John and his younger sisters, Audrey and Delores, enjoyed playing in the fields and the creek. This is also where John accidently burned down the barn while playing with firecrackers. Later the family moved to Maymont, SK. In Maymont, John played hockey, baseball, joined the farm boys camp (placed third in weed identification at the Saskatoon fair) and helped his dad at the locker plant and butcher shop.
After graduating from high school a year early, John worked as a psychiatric nurse at the Oliver Institute in North Battleford. He left that position to work for the Imperial Bank. He then worked as a cementer with Dowling, followed by selling farm machinery for Robertson Implements in Stettler. While he was with Dowling in 1952, John’s friend Earl Furlong set him up on a blind date with Earl’s sister-in-law. The blind date was with Norma Weldon. John and Norma married on December 27, 1952 and were married for 64 years when Norma passed away in January of 2017. In Stettler, he found work with Canadian Well Services that moved his family to Lacombe, Red Deer and finally to Olds in 1956. His family wanted to stay in Olds so in 1958 he and Norma started Parkland Oilfield Construction. John and Norma retired in 1983. John served as a Town of Olds councillor from 1966 to 1971. He was involved with minor sports as coach and volunteer. John held several officer positions with the Elks and spent time volunteering with several organizations. In 1989, John became active installing Life Line in senior’s homes. It was around this time that he started working with the local Outreach Centre and the Women’s Outreach Center in Red Deer. In 2002, John and Norma were named Community Builders at the Citizen of the Year banquet. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all.
Together John and Norma had 4 children; Linda (Ryan) Lees, Jim (Linda) DeLong, Bob (Mary) DeLong and Kathy (Reg) Radke; 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and his sister Audrey DeLong. Funeral Services were held on Friday, November 23, 2018 at 2:00 pm at Olds United Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Olds Rotary Athletic Park c/o the Town Of Olds. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., Olds entrusted with arrangements. 403-507-8610 www.heartlandfuneralservices.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Kenneth
DeLong 1930 2018..
Death notice for the town of: Olds, Province: Alberta