Obituary of John Francis COZENS
John passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 23, 2017 at the age of 86 years, as a much loved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
John had a lifelong love of sports, playing professional baseball with the Georgia Browns and Junior Hockey with the Toronto Marlies. Throughout his life, he coached minor league baseball and hockey in Quebec, Calgary and Fernie.
He worked in the electrical industry for over forty years, starting at Ontario Hydro where he met his beloved wife Joyce. Over the next thirty-eight years he worked at Federal Pioneer Electric and Schneider Electric.
When John retired, he was able to pursue his passion for fishing (including fishing collectibles) and art. John was an avid fisherman, travelling Western Canada for the next great catch and enjoying several years volunteering for Trout Unlimited. He was also an artist who loved to paint and draw with many of his paintings on family walls.
He loved his family and greatly enjoyed being able to pass on to his grandchildren his love of fishing, art and working with tools.
John is survived by his wife Joyce; they recently celebrated sixty-five years of marriage. John is also survived by children Michael (Sue), Lesley (Geoffrey) and Scott (Lana); his grandchildren Joshua (Lisa), Jeremy (Tracey), Matthew (Stephanie), Joel (Kelly), Stephen (Lindsay), Joy, Caitlin (Andrew), Liam, Dylan, Connor, Nash, Luke, Nico; thirteen great-grandchildren Jersie, Ryan, Alexis, Kasey-Lynn, Taylor, Aidan, Kassidy, Lilly, Coen, Abigail, Hope, Kylan, Jackson; as well as nephews John, Paul, and Richard; and niece Heather.
John was predeceased by his parents Winnifred and John; and sisters Joyce and Carol.
A private funeral service will be held at a later date.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the staff at Cedars Villa Extendicare who took kind and loving care of John.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 – 14th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549, www.heartandstroke.ca.