Joe Dearborn

Joe was born on May 23, 1943 to Percy Wilbur (P.W.) and Alice Dearborn in Maymont, Sk. He was the third of four children and although he was named Ernest at birth, Percy’s brother, Ron, quickly changed that by nicknaming him Joe.  The Dearborn family moved to Lintlaw in 1950 to run the telephone office. Growing up in Lintlaw, Joe was involved in baseball, hockey and curling.  

Joe met and, as he liked to say, “courted his bride” Nettie in Lintlaw. They decided to go north where Joe could get a mining job.  Inco in Thompson and Sherritt Gordon Mines in Lynn Lake were hiring.  Joe was standing in line to apply to Inco when someone pointed out the line for Sherritt Gordon was shorter, so of course, Joe switched to the shorter line and was hired by Sherritt Gordon.  He spent most of his career with the company as a diamond driller and later, as a timberman.

Joe and Nettie were married on August 24, 1964 in Lynn Lake and had three children, Darcey, Desi and Devin. 

In 1973 Joe moved his family to Leaf Rapids where he worked until his retirement.  While in Leaf, he continued to curl and play hockey.  He was community minded, was involved in his children’s sports as a board member, coach and volunteer and was a member of the Co-op Board and Leaf Rapids Legion.  At work, Joe was respected and often sought out for his advice.

In 2002, Joe and Nettie retired to Lintlaw and moved into Nettie’s childhood home.   He was a member of the Lintlaw Cemetery board and involved with the Lintlaw Legion. Joe and Nettie helped organize the return of the “Model T” curling bonspiel and when asked, Joe would get the onions sliced for Nettie’s onion salad for the annual New Year’s Eve steak supper at the hall.  He joked it was a small, but very important job.

In the early years of retirement, Joe and Nettie put many miles on their Impala visiting their children and grandchildren.  They watched hockey, figure skating, swimming, curling and Joe even jumped in the golf cart to watch his grandson play a round of golf.  When they weren’t watching their grandchildren, they were off to watch Canadian or World curling championships.  Joe always came back with stories of people he met and the laughs they had. 

Joe was kind and funny, he always had a smile on his face and a good story to tell.  Joe was a singer, he loved to burst out into song, usually while playing cards. He would only sing the first line and his family was never sure if what he sang was real or if he made it up!

Joe lost the love of his life, “his bride”, Nettie, on July 4, 2020. 

He continued to enjoy his friends, neighbours, and especially, coffee row after Nettie’s passing.  On a nice day you would see him sitting on the back step, giving a wave and motioning you to stop for a visit.  His Chevy Impala rarely drove by without a honk and a wave from Joe. 

His good-nature, humour, advice and warm and mischievous spirit will be missed. 

Joe was predeceased by his wife, Nettie, daughter-in-law, Sherry Dearborn, parents, P.W. and Alice Dearborn, his brother, Warren Dearborn, father and mother-in-law, Mike and Pearl Berezuik, brothers-in-law, Duane Wagner and Dennis Berezuik.

Left to tell his stories and remember him with a smile or laughter, are his children Darcey (June) Dearborn, Desi (Dean) Harcourt and Devin (Regan) Dearborn and his grandchildren, Jordyn, Dylan, Raegan, Carson, Garrett and Riley, as well as Joe’s sisters, Doreen (Jack) Bond and Myrna (Ron) Mengerink and Nettie’s siblings, Eugenia (Greg) Kennedy, Don (Jennifer) Berezuk, Anne Wagner (Lorne Anderson), Debbie (Ken) Mihalicz and sisters-in-law, Beryl Dearborn and Bonnie Berezuik.  His many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews will miss his teasing and fun and games.

“To honour you, I laugh and love with those who knew your smile, and the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.”  -Connie E. Kiefer Byrd