John David Maloney

In Edmonton, John David Maloney, age 54, passed away through Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID, Track 2) on March 27, 2026 at the University of Alberta Hospital. He was born on October 5, 1971, to Barbara Maloney, and was predeceased by her and his younger half-brother, Jason. Much of John’s life was shaped by the loving care of his grandparents, John and Helen Berg, who have also passed. He is survived by his older sister, Patricia Maloney. John was loved by his two favourite feline friends, Scarlett and Stryker.

Friendships were of prime importance to John. Starting with his best friend and life long companion, Paul Verreau, their relationship dated back to his early school days and they graduated from St. Joseph's Catholic High School together. John requested being buried at Holy Cross Cemetery so that he could be near Amber, another childhood friend.

This same devotion to friends, volunteer, and gaming communities continued in enthusiastic dedication to his work. For over two decades, he rose in the ranks at Catholic Social Services (CSS) and at other group homes. Like his grandfather and mentor—the multi-patenting inventor John Berg—John David also had an engineering and visionary mind. As an innovator, he always sought to improve services in youth care and became an inspiration in both blind and sighted communities. For example, through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), he launched a children's audio Easter egg hunt.

Like his pioneering grandfather, John never accepted norms or limits for himself or others. When he was told he wouldn’t graduate from high school, he stated that not only would he finish it, but he was going to college, too. And sure enough, despite being blinded in one eye at the age of six and struggling with deteriorating vision in the other eye throughout his life, John completed a Child and Youth Development certificate from Grant MacEwan College, committing extra time to read and study materials.

In 2023, as a Settlement Practicum Advisor at Norquest College, he became very involved in the newcomer’s world. While at Norquest, he became president of New Hope Resettlement, empowering women and their families. He embraced the mission of New Hope Resettlement as President for two terms while helping directly with guiding projects. Always a compassionate pragmatist, he opened his big family home’s fertile backyard with specialty cultured apple trees and helped the gardening efforts of struggling recipients dealing with trauma and food scarcity.

He believed in a balanced life and as an avid gamer, still played pool in his grandparents home until he could no longer see. He loved doing “deep dive” research and encouraged the application of newer technologies, such as Be My Eyes and ChatGPT. He was always a deeply compassionate advocate.

A big fan of Abraham Maslow, he claimed he was a self-actualizing man and proved it through his many accomplishments. In 2022, he received a Masters of Arts in Leadership from the prestigious Royal Roads University. John always claimed to be a pragmatist but one with a big heart and capable of taking on challenges. Despite the limitations to his blind state, he became very competent at many things including cooking, laundry, and attempting to keep up the Berg three bedroom family home after moving from an apartment.

John earned a lifetime of respect, love, and the admiration of so many students, youth, teachers, gamers, and community leaders as represented here today. He will be remembered for many years as a principled, practical, compassionate man who spoke his mind freely advocating for the underdogs.

He was both an intelligent but humble example of a cheerful overcomer. John could see more being blind than many could with sight, and his wisdom was astute. Now he’s followed his life long and closest friend Jesus to heaven. He wanted to die in the spring time, and in a place of new and the best of beginnings in heaven where his visions now have taken on sight. After all, here lies a man who could say, “the sky is NOT my limit” as his photo shows…

Notes:

This obituary was created by the John Maloney Legacy team. We hope to continue the determination, vision, and tenacity of John—a great inspiration to our communities.

Although his Celebration of Life has passed, please enjoy the livestream.

To watch online, click the "Join Livestream" icon under "Services" below.

The John Maloney Legacy Team would like to acknowledge the compassion and dedication of Memories Funeral Home -https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/3-days-before-his-medically-assisted-death-this-alberta-man-is-reflecting-on-his-right-to-die/

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in John's honour as per his wishes to:

Dying with Dignity Canada - https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/get-involved/ways-to-give/

or The MEOW Foundation of Calgary- https://meow-foundation.givecloud.co/product/E6E653E/donate-to-meow-foundation

or the CNIB

TRIBUTE ABOUT JOHN MALONEY:

https://us.docworkspace.com/d/sbEaajJQ7g7qqc8A_d27slevolensl6jk1m?sa=601.1074