KOSTIUK, John

KOSTIUK

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of JOHN GEORGE KOSTIUK, on Monday, November 2, 2020 at the age of 67 years, following a courageous two year battle with cancer.

He will always be lovingly remembered by his soul mate, high school sweetheart and wife of 43 years, Doris; his daughter Elaina (Shane) Mohrmann and their children William and baby John and his son Lorenzo Kostiuk (Hailey); sister-in-law, Verna Kostiuk and her children Corey Kostiuk (Godson) and Kyle Kostiuk; his brothers-in-law, Renzo Cattoni, Sergio (Renee) Cattoni and their children Colby (Greg) Gaudette and Matteo Cattoni (Michaela), Mauro Cattoni and his children Alexandra Cattoni (Jaxon) and Eric Cattoni (Janu); cousins, Christine (Barry) Brown and family; Zia Lilia Cattoni and family.

John was born in Taber, Alberta on February 3, 1953 (on his mother Helen’s birthday). Growing up on the farm, his family lived in the Chin/Taber area before moving to Lethbridge in 1959. In grade school, he met his lifelong best friend Katalin Petrunia. John, in his teen-age years, spent many hours at the stockcar racetrack with his dad and brother, Bill, as a flag boy.

John’s greatest love was for his family who he would do anything for; his greatest joy was to be with the people he loved. He was the master of “the small surprise gift” and found happiness in bringing joy to others. John spent most of his working life at ATCO Gas where he made lasting friendships and enjoyed helping with the children’s Christmas parties. He also loved being outdoors. In the earlier years, he did a lot of hunting and kept up with fishing, golfing with his buddies, coffee with friends and doing projects around the house and yard. John was an athlete in his own right: junior-high basketball, a trophy-winning running back for the CCH Cougars and hockey for ATCO in his adult years. He was very involved in all his kids’ sports – from Elaina’s T-ball, coaching her basketball, and early morning figure skating to Lorenzo’s T-ball, hockey, football, basketball and coaching / managing his Cosmos Soccer team. John loved his time travelling with the team for games all over western Canada and the U.S. He was a long- time member of the Italian Canadian Club and, in retirement, found a love for cooking and preparing food; it was one more way he showed love. John was never without his camera – taking photos of everything from family events, soccer team, his grandkids, birds, the moon and his family’s travel adventures. He is the reason we have so many wonderful photo memories and we are so grateful. They enjoy living with the gang in Oxford Place where they all shared watching their families grow. Many appreciated John’s witty sense of humor – even when things were hard, he always found a way to make the people around him smile.

John and Doris’s “second home” was visiting with their best friends, Kat and Denis Petrunia and family in Victoria, B.C. – he loved being by the ocean. Travelling was high on the to-do list and they thoroughly enjoyed travelling to see parts of Canada, the U.S. and Europe together. John would drive his family to the coast every summer, driving through the Rockies and always making a pit stop in Revelstoke, B.C to visit Zio Johnny Augustyn (recently deceased) and cousins, Christine & Barry Brown and family.

John will be forever missed but will be joining his parents Helen and George Kostiuk, his brother Bill Kostiuk and sister Annie Way; his in-laws Joe and Gina Cattoni, Zia Amalia and John Augustyn and relatives from Italy.

If we can learn anything from John it is this: be kind, find a way to smile, take care of your family, and love fiercely.

A Private Celebration of John’s Life will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. with Deacon Cliff Bogdan officiating. The service will be live streamed and may be accessed via John’s obituary on the Cornerstone website.

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