Obituary of John Ivor Keast

John Ivor Keast

“Keasty”

1947 ~ 2026

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of John Ivor Keast “Keasty”, age 79, of Red Deer, Alberta on July 10^th, 2026.

John was born in Olds, Alberta to Robert William and Laura Geneva Keast, the youngest of three children. Shortly after, his family moved to Stettler where he spent his childhood. He loved hockey and played on the midget Hockey Team winning the provincial championship three years in a row.

At twelve years old he took up golf using a left-handed set of clubs and finally at sixteen years old, he had his own set of right-handed clubs. He then went on to winning the President’s Cup and club championship twice. This was the start of his long-life passion for the game of golf.

In the early days he enjoyed hunting, hockey, and playing pool in the pool hall.

At eighteen years old, he went to junior college and then completed a three-year physical education degree at the University of Alberta. He began his teaching career in Allendale working for the Edmonton Public School Board and after five years he moved back to the Stettler area. Soon came his greatest joy in life, the birth of his two children Joshua and Alisha. He loved watching them grow, follow their passions and start their own families.

During his twenty-three years in Stettler he enjoyed golfing and curling. He worked on the boards of the curling rink, golf course and also joined the Elks club.

He taught in Big Valley for four years, in Erskine eight years with five of those years as the principal, until he moved into Waverly as the principal there for eleven years. Except for one year on an administration teaching exchange to Australia. It is here that he met his greatest love and soul-mate Brenda. They married in Stettler in 1995 and began 31 years of a fun filled life.

In 1997, with the closure of Waverley School, he moved to Australia. He flew home every year to see his children and grandchildren.

Whilst in Australia, John taught at numerous schools and spending many happy hours on the golf course. For the next twenty years he embraced the Australian lifestyle: swimming and sailing on the ocean, fishing trips with his brother-in-law, camping in the sand dunes and travelling all over Australia. He became an Australian Citizen but always longed for his home country. In this time, over 120 friends and visitors came to stay, he became quite the tour guide.

In 2023, they moved back to Red Deer where he joined the Red Deer curling club and found the perfect spot at Fawn Meadows Golf Club, making new friendships and getting his first hole in one. He was on the golf course up to the last week, laughing and visiting with all his friends.

John is survived by his loving wife Brenda; son Joshua (Jess) and daughter Alisha (John); grandchildren: Jayna (Trace), Savannah and Samuel; niece Marnie Fisher; mother-in-law Janet James-Wallace; brothers and sisters in law: Susan Todd (Rebecca and Daniel), Robyn James-Wallace (Don, Cait and Alex), Tony James-Wallace (Cam), April Picard (Claire) Jim Mallory, Guy Sugden and Kirsten Allcorn; and numerous great nieces and cousins.

John was predeceased by his father Robert (Al) Keast; mother Laura (Chatty) Riske; sisters Donna Keast and Diane (Jack) Fisher; father-in-law John (Cam) James-Wallce; sisters-in-law Wendy Sugden and Lucy Trippett; nephew Stewart Allcorn.

Come and Go Celebration of Life

Wednesday July 22,2026

2:00PM ~ 5:00PM

Speeches will begin at 2:30PM

Stettler Community Hall

Donations can be made to the Junior Golf Program at Fawn Meadows Golf Course, Box 553 Delburne T0M 0V0 or a charity of your choice.