John Haxell

John Leslie Haxell passed away on May 5, 2025 at the age of 77 years.

Father of: Shelley Haxell, Stacy Haxell, John Haxell

Grandfather of: Molly, Lily, Reuben, Ben, Riley, Poppy, Rae, Jack and Harry.

Great Grandfather of: Harley and Lilah

Survived by his wife Linda and his siblings - Dave, Jill, Carol, Chris, and Maureen.

Predeceased by: his parents Gladys and John Haxell Sr, sister Cathy, grandson Archie James Haxell, brothers-in-law Danny, Alan, Bill and his niece Sarah.

John was the second eldest of eight children born to Gladys and John Haxell Sr.  John spent many of his childhood years growing up in North Woolwich, England, including a period of time with his much-loved Aunt May.  John described himself as a spirited, mischievous child and had many stories of his adventures which often resulted in learning important life lessons and shaping his values and perspectives into young adulthood.

John showed great resilience throughout his life and managed to overcome adversity on more than one occasion.  Growing up in the working-class area of East London, John followed West Ham United Football Club.  A team he loved and watched with enthusiasm until the very end of his life.  John loved nothing more than a good chat about the match and where West Ham were ‘going wrong’.  John did a great job at passing this onto his children and grandchildren.

As a young man John was a car enthusiast which led to a career in mechanics, as well as driving cabs in London. John was a talented self-taught handy man and was known to support friends and family without hesitation whenever they would call on him.

John raised his children with his then wife Anne, mainly in Plumstead and spent a lot of time passing his fishing skills onto them at their family caravan in New Romney, Kent. Fishing was John’s biggest passion, and he cherished every opportunity he had to travel and fish with his siblings.  John adored all of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was so very proud of each of them and would often share fond memories and boast about their many accomplishments.  John loved animals and often had a Doggy companion by his side.  He loved them all.

In his later years John relocated to Canada to live with his wife Linda and was able to experience new adventures. John managed to adapt well to the colder climate by hibernating and watching football and westerns in the winter and enjoyed camping, fishing and concerts in the summer. John especially enjoyed attending the Calgary Stampede as he had always dreamed of being a cowboy since childhood.

John had a passion for music which carried throughout his life, and he could often be found enjoying a variety of artists, including BB King and James Taylor, while having tea and tinkering on projects.

John had a strong moral compass and the ability to bring strength, wisdom and love into each and every relationship he had.  John will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Live-stream of service will take place on Friday, May 16, 2025 starting at 11:00AM (MDT). A link will appear below this obituary 15 minutes before service starts. 

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