Garry Vernon Hegg passed away at Riverside Health Complex, Turtleford, Saskatchewan on March 18, 2026 at the age of 78 years.

Garry is survived by: his best friend and loving wife of 57 years, Merle; daughter, Cheryl; twin sister, Gail (John) Penkala; sister, Linda Wilson; Turtleford congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and many dear friends both old and new.

Garry was predeceased by: his son, Wayne; parents, Vernon and Marvel; brother, Larry; parents-in-law, Robert and Florence Currie; nephews, Chris Penkala and Jason Wilson; and many other family members and dear friends who became his family.

Garry will be laid to rest next to his son, Wayne, in the Mervin Cemetery at 1pm on May 16, 2026. Anyone who wishes may attend.

A Memorial Service will be held at Mervin Community Centre (Hope Hall), Mervin SK on May 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM.  If you are unable to attend it will be broadcast over Zoom.

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Zoom Memorial Service - Garry Hegg 

Meeting ID: 899 3946 6062

Passcode: 029163

Donations in memory of Garry may be made to Turtleford Firemen's Fund for battery powered extrication tools.

Life lessons learned from my Dad

Build strong faith in and love for Jehovah. His support will enable you to come through great tragedy and find meaning and purpose in your life. (Psalm 34:18) Our Creator promises us a bright future under His kingdom by Christ Jesus. (Acts 24:15) Investigate this for yourself.

Never prioritize a job or career to the detriment to your family. Families need love and time, not a big pay cheque. The most important things in life cannot be bought.

Be humble and do not take yourself too seriously. Be the jokester, the tease, the fun uncle. Humour lightens the load of everyday life and draws people to you. They will make your life richer. (Acts 20:35)

Be kind. Show empathy. Laugh with people who laugh and cry with those who cry. Be observant and look for ways to provide practical help. Offer a hand up to anyone who needs it. (Proverbs 3:27) Your example can motivate others to step up when you need them. Accept help graciously.

Be honest in all things, especially with yourself. When Dad was diagnosed with dementia, he told people. He was concerned that if he didn’t recognize someone or remember them, that people would feel slighted. That acknowledgement had vast repercussions. In the early days of his dementia, when he was feeling frustrated, unsure of why he was feeling or thinking differently, we were able to explain that it wasn’t him. It was the dementia. That explanation gave him some calmness and clarity when he needed it the most. We need to be honest about dementia and help our loved ones cope with this devastating and always fatal condition. It is not a shameful secret, a character flaw or weakness. Remove the stigma. Acknowledging it early will help the person and their loved ones deal with this terrible foe.

Never was I told that “Girls can’t do that”. Wayne was never told that he didn’t need to know how to keep a house. He raised us to be self sufficient and to take risks even if he would have chosen differently. He and mom gave us roots and wings.

Keep your nose out of other peoples’ business. Be happy for their successes and sympathetic for their losses. You are not entitled to an opinion on everything you find out about someone. He used to say, “if you’re not making the payments, you don’t need to know what it cost”.

We’ve heard it said that children and dogs are good judges of character. Even mean and nasty little dogs liked my dad. Children have always been comfortable around dad, whether his nieces and nephews, the young ones in our congregation or the kids at school. He was approachable and a friend to all…a real character who will be missed.