Obituaries

Ryan Winston Day

March 14, 1976 – October 27, 2023

Ryan passed away in his apartment at 47 years of age, after a long battle with Crohn’s and more recently lung issues.

Ryan was born in Calgary and was adopted 2 ½ months later by Hendrika (Henny) and the late Blair Day, after he had already undergone two surgeries.

He was one of the students attending St. Gerards in the initial year of the French immersion program, receiving the highest academic standing from kindergarten to grade five. Grades seven, eight and nine were in the old Holy Cross School where he continued to excel academically and then on to St. Joe’s. His biggest joy was in the school bands, playing tenor saxophone and bass guitar. He continued to play guitar until his passing. Most of the first semester of Grade 10 was spent in the hospital, the start of his struggles with Crohn’s, three surgeries and endless years of pain.

Ryan, as a teenager, worked for a short time pumping gas at Norwood Esso and at other gas stations.

He enjoyed the company of his longtime friends, Mike and Ken, as well as the ravens that hung around his apartment. He spent time with the homeless when their encampment was downtown, making sandwiches for some of them and at times buying pizzas for them.

Ryan did have the opportunity to attend several concerts in Edmonton over the past few months, despite his failing health.

Ryan was predeceased by his dad, Blair, in September 2019, grandparents Case and Trude Lieverse and Isabel and Harold Day.

He will be dearly missed by his mother, Hendrika (Henny) and his brother Tyler (Juli) from Calgary.

A Funeral Mass for Ryan will be held at St.Joseph Catholic Church on Friday, November 10, 2023 at 10 am with Father Ed Eherer officiating, with a luncheon to follow at Tranquil Hall and interment of ashes in the Grande Prairie Cemetery following the luncheon.

Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home 780 830 7742 bcfh.ca