John Jerry Dutka's Obituary
John "Jerry" Dutka, Madeira Beach, passed away on Friday June 5, 2020.
Survived by his brother, Lorne (Lorna); son, Ken; his grandchildren, John (Danya), Pete (Clem), Alex (Jackie); his niece, Sharon; great-granddaughter, Audrey; and his friend, Sue Glover; and predeceased by his son, Andy; his daughter-in-law, Joanne; nephews, Lorne and Douglas; and remembered fondly by the Francis and Briemon families, including Betty.
Jerry passed away at the age of 86 in the state of Florida, where he will be laid to rest. His family were among the first Ukrainian settlers in Saskatchewan, arriving in the 1800's. Jerry was born in a sod cabin in the prairies during the Depression and forged by those years and the sacrifice of WWII. The brutally cold winters left an indelible mark on him. At 6'5 and 240 pounds, he was a superb athlete, a renowned golfer and softball pitcher. He played and Palmer and Rodriquez and had over dozen hole-in-ones. He moved to Alberta at 18, married Betty, and raised two children with her in Calgary. Betty and Jerry's home was always open to many young relatives and even children abandoned by their parents, some of whom were raised for years with their boys,all with equal love. Jerry was an entrepreneur, starting and then selling a number of successful business enterprises in Calgary in the boom years of the 60s and 70s. In those periods when he was bound by restraint of trade contracts, he would spend months in Vegas card-counting in the casinos, until he was banned by all of them.
Jerry separated from Betty, retired in his early 4os, and moved to Florida away from the cold. There, he honed his golf game to professional standards and fished the Gulf on his boat. His door was always open to visitors with a waiting drink, a tip for you short game, and reservations for dancing and fun. In the summer and Christmases, he would decamp north to visit relatives, mainly staying with Ken and Joanne, and his grandchildren, whom he adored.
Jerry was diagnosed with cancer in 1998 and fought tenaciously for 20 years against his disease, never yielding. He golfed and fished until just a few weeks before his passing. His post-retirement business card stated that he was a philosopher, and those who knew him well understood why.
He will be missed. In these Covid-19 times, remembrances can best be made with a cold drink and a toast or to Joanne's House Ajax, Ontario.
What’s your fondest memory of John?
What’s a lesson you learned from John?
Share a story where John's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with John you’ll never forget.
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