John "Jay" Beagle

John Presley (Jay) Beagle was born October 19, 1932 in Arrowwood, Alberta to Delbert Jay & Lula Beagle. He was the second youngest of nine children. John went to be with his Lord on October 13, 2020, 6 days short of his 88th birthday.

John grew up in Arrowwood attending the school there. Before he was 18 he signed up with the Canadian military. When they found out his real age he was honourably discharged. He lived with his sister Edna and her two children Julie & John for many years until her passing in 1969. He drove cab for his brother Chester at Killarney Taxi and later started his own company called “Tijuana Taxi” where he employed several people including two nephews Al & Rick. Many years later John worked for his nephew Al at his business Auto Check in Calgary. He loved traveling which took him to many parts of the States, British Columbia, Alberta, Mexico and China. He also travelled to many of these places with Dolores, his companion of 26 years. John was never tied to material things but loved to travel and spend time with family and friends.

John was married to Susan for a short while but this did not last. He was single for several years and then met Dolores Gagne. They became lifelong companions enjoying travel to many places together as mentioned above. Her family became a part of his family.

John spent a great deal of time with his older sister Ruth, after her husband passed away until her passing. They enjoyed the flea market where they had a table of collectables for sale. John, Ruth and brother Ivan would travel garage sales looking to see what they could collect.

John has spent his last year and a half at AgeCare Skypointe where he received wonderful care. He loved to play scrabble and would often “teach” the Skypointe staff how to play the game. He loved reading the paper, doing crosswords, playing scrabble and Sudoku. For years he loved doing crosswords and Sudoku with his nephew John at McDonald’s. Among his favourite places to dine were McDonald’s and KFC.

John was raised in the Church of the Brethren and in the last 40 or so years of his life John served and loved his Lord who he is now with. He loved going to the Church of the Nazarene Camp at Harmattan near Sundre where he would visit with family that had gathered there. He always enjoyed time with his younger brother Ivan. He loved his family and he was especially close to his brother Ivan and his wife Caral and their family Rose, Al and Rick. John's nephew, Bob, who during John’s time at Skypointe would visit quite often when he was in Calgary.

John is survived by Dolores Gagne and her family as well as his brother Ivan (Caral) Beagle and their family and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews as well as great-great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by many cousins and their families and will be missed by his special friends Marilyn and Sparky.

He was predeceased by his father Delbert Jay “DJ” and his mother Lula, brothers and their wives Chester (Kay), Stuart (Bernice) as well as his sister and their husbands Dorothy (John Mackie), Ruth (Herb Smith), Edna (Walter Larsen and Fred Stover), Edith (Herb Kruger) and Clara (Clarence Arens). He was also predeceased by his nephews Bob Beagle, Laurie Mackie (Muriel), Robert Mackie (Lillian and then Mary), William Beagle and his son William Beagle Jr., Roger Arens, and his niece Geraldine Larsen.

John is now in the presence of his Lord. He will be laid to rest in the Arrowwood Cemetery this Spring 2021 where many family members have also been laid to rest before him.

Many thanks to his doctor and staff at AgeCare Skypointe for the wonderful care he received as well as South Calgary Funeral Centre and Crematorium and Sunset Memorial and Stone in Calgary and to his hometown of Arrowwood for their wonderful assistance to John’s family.

Donations in John’s "Jay’s" memory may be made to the Arrowwood Cemetery or to Church of the Nazarene Camp at Harmattan or to a charity of one’s choice.