Vansal Grant Deyenberg

Vansal Grant Deyenberg, “Grant” 85, of Chilliwack BC, passed away on Friday November 29th 2024 at The Cascades Long-Term Care facility in Chilliwack, BC.

Grant was born in Birsay, Saskatchewan in 1939 to Marion (nee Dykes) and Vansal Deyenberg. He grew up on the family farm at Elbow, Saskatchewan, with his parents and maternal grandparents (James and Annie Dykes), and younger brother Kenneth. Grant often reminisced about life on the farm, especially hunting rabbits and fishing along the south Saskatchewan river, with his faithful dog Laddie. He had many great memories of his childhood on the farm, especially the time spent with his cousin Jim Dykes. Grant was very proud of his Scottish and Swedish ancestry, and his father’s travels and time in the US Marines. Grant attended grade school in Elbow then went on to attend the College of Agriculture and graduate studies in Economics at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He met his future wife Diana at University and they went on to marry and raise two sons, Lorne and Brian Deyenberg. Grant’s career started as a Junior Economist for the Department of Industry for the Government of Saskatchewan, in Regina. Later he worked at the Massey Ferguson of Canada head office in Toronto, moving the family to Don Mills; then as a Market Research Manager for the Massey World Export Division in Coventry, England; and as a Regional Sales Manager for Scandinavia and a move to Brussels. He loved his work and international travel, he had many great stories to tell. He did return to Toronto with Massey before taking a job with Morris Rod-Weeder in Yorkton Saskatchewan, by which time his marriage ended. After that Grant decided that Computers were the future and accepted a management position at ComputerLand in Red Deer, where he met his best friend, life partner and future wife Agnes. Together they moved to Calgary AB then New Westminster BC where he was self-employed in software development and sales, eventually retiring to Chilliwack in 2013. Grant and Agnes enjoyed many activities together including hiking and biking local trails; motorcycling the local backroads; traveling to some of Grant’s favorite places in the UK, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands; annual road trips to visit friends and family across the prairies; and hosting out of town guests.

Grant was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, stepbrothers David Paul of Calgary and Harry Paul of Red Deer, and dear friend Mac Harrison of London Ontario. He is survived by his beloved wife Agnes McKain of Chilliwack, his brother Kenneth (Carol) Deyenberg of Turtle Lake Saskatchewan, his son Lorne (Karrie) Deyenberg and family of Regina, Brian (Ute) Deyenberg and family of Edmonton, and cousin Jim (Audrey) Dykes of Moose Jaw SK. He will be greatly missed by his sisters in-law Charlene Strauss of Chilliwack and Marg Paul of Calgary, brother in-law Richard Paul of Kelowna, and stepchildren Steven McKain and Christine McKain of Calgary. A special shout out to his friends and neighbours at Miller Estates in Chilliwack and the Canadian Rockies Miata Club of Calgary, thanks for the good times and great memories. Special thanks to Bill and the team at Just Like Family Home Care Fraser Valley, Alexandra at Fraser Valley East Community Health, Chilliwack NetCARE day program for older adults, Dr. Richard Smith, Chilliwack Hospital Unit 5 North staff, and The Cascades Long Term Care Unit 2B team. These wonderful people helped us navigate the last few years, months and days of Grant’s dementia journey.

Henderson’s Funeral Home & Crematorium in Chilliwack will oversee arrangements. As per Grant’s request, a celebration of life will be held at a future date as will interment at the Elbow Cemetery. Donations on his behalf can be made to the BCSPCA or Alzheimer Society of British Columbia.