Joe Wada

1937 - 2017

Yoshiaki “Joe” Wada was surrounded by family and love when he passed peacefully on Wednesday, December 27, 2017 in Lethbridge at the age 80 years.

 Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Thursday, January 4, 2018 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.

 The Funeral Service was held at Knox United Church, 4929 - 50 Avenue, Taber on Friday, January 5, 2018 at 1:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Taber Memorial Garden.

 Joe will be remembered and missed by his son Glen (Brenda) Wada of Barnwell and their daughter Kassidy; daughter Martha (Mark) Planger of Taber their daughters Jocelyn and Kennedy; stepdaughter Heather Warbrick (Kevin Weston) of Lethbridge and her sons Brody (Jolene) Campbell of Taber with their son Owen, and Brock (Bailee) Campbell of Coaldale; stepson Ed (Monica) Warbrick of Lethbridge and their son Jason; brothers-in-law Don Craft of Fruitvale, Ron (Carol) Meyer of Prince George, British Columbia and Arnold (Joan) Meyer of Gull Lake, Saskatchewan; sister-in-law Colene Bennett of Taber; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.  

 Joe was predeceased by his parents Kazuo and Kumi Wada; first wife Myrna Wada (1985), second wife Evelyn Wada (2015), sister Jean Craft and brother-in-law Dwane Bennett.

 Joe was born July 7, 1937 in Vancouver, British Columbia. His family was interned to Picture Butte and later moved to Barnwell area where he attended school. This is where he later started his farming career, which lasted over sixty years (mostly with Nakamura Farms), and where he found his first love Myrna who he married on June 6, 1970. Together they raised their family in Cranford and enjoyed curling, trips to Vegas, camping, fishing, gardening, and the Elks Club until she passed suddenly in 1985.  Joe married his next love, Evelyn on February 21, 1991 and enjoyed family and several trips together until her passing in 2015. In November 2016 he moved off the farm and into Pioneer Place in Taber, where he was closer to his coffee friends, watched the golfers, and took his occasional blackjack therapy trips to Lethbridge. Joe enjoyed watching all kinds of sports, especially curling, and LOVED his family immensely. He was especially proud of his grandkids. Joe was a great loving, honest, and forgiving father and very loyal friend who will be forever in the hearts of everyone who knew him.

  If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Joe’s name may be made directly to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 204, 2323 - 32 Avenue NE, Calgary, Alberta T2E 6Z3 (www.diabetes.ca) or to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Suite 400, 740 - 4 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0N9 (www.kidney.ca).

 A special thank you to Dr. Hughes and everyone at the Taber Hospital for the care they gave Joe and to all his visitors, he loved seeing you.