Doreen Edwards

Garth DeVries

This is a cautionary tale.

Garth had not seen a doctor in almost 30 years. Whenever family members suggested that he should see one because he was losing weight, not looking well, needed new glasses, or should use the dental coverage he had through Blue Cross, he would dig his heels in and refuse. He hated being told what to do.

Colon cancer can take many years to spread. By the time Garth was diagnosed, it had already metastasized to his liver, lungs, ribs, spine, and adrenal gland. All he had needed was a simple checkup or even one of those stool screening tests. It could have made all the difference.

Garth and Cecily decided to go to Cuba with the kids, Dianne, and me. Before the trip, he went to get the Twinrix vaccination. While he was there, the doctor told him, “You don’t look well. When you get back from Cuba, make an appointment and I’ll take you on as a patient.” Garth replied, “No, it’s okay.”

While in Cuba, he developed shingles. This time he agreed to see a doctor. The Cuban doctor treated him with pills and topical ointment and told him, “Promise me you’ll see someone when you get home.” Amazingly, within a week the shingles had cleared up, and he was able to enjoy part of the trip with us.

When he returned home, he finally went to see a doctor and had blood work done. On January 5th, the doctor told him his hemoglobin was dangerously low — at least 40 points below what it should have been for an adult male. She suspected bleeding polyps in the colon or possibly cancer. That was the first time we ever heard the word “cancer.”

Garth then stood up to show the doctor a lump he had hidden from all of us for nearly a year. As he stood, he suffered a stroke and nearly collapsed into the doctor’s lap. She immediately sent him to Emergency just down the hallway, and from there he was transferred to HSC.

While he was in the stroke ward, doctors performed a CAT scan. They saw the stroke, but they also saw shadows they did not like. A PET scan was ordered, and that was when they discovered the tumors — large and small — and we received the devastating prognosis.

We met with surgeons, but they explained they could not operate on someone who had just suffered a stroke. Chemotherapy was also impossible until he became stronger. So we went home and worked hard to help him regain strength.

Garth attended physiotherapy once a week, and every day he faithfully did his exercises with his daughter Kari; who took charge of that part his care. He worked hard.

At the end of April, there were a few beautiful warm days when he could sit out on the side porch, enjoy the sunshine and breeze, and spend time talking with us. We reminisced about old memories, children’s games, family trips, and happy times. I am so grateful he had those moments.

One night he began having terrible pain in his side. We feared it might be a heart attack, so we called an ambulance. The paramedics told us it was not his heart, but his pain was severe and his blood pressure dangerously low, so they took him to Gimli Hospital.

He was there for a day and a half. On Wednesday night, we left him saying, “We’ll be back in the morning.” At 8:00 the next morning, we received the phone call telling us he was gone.

Oh, how I wish we had been there with him.

But our ways are not God’s ways.

Special moments

Our dear cousins wife, Marilyn  Brink came all the way from southern Manitoba to visit with us in the beginning of this journey with Garth. She could understand what devastation the prognosis would be as she had lost my cousin to cancer not more than a year prior.  

A surprise visit with a special cousin  from Ochre River came with his wife . Keith and Donna De Vries met us at chicken Chef in Gimli and lots of tears and hugs and prayer. How he appreciated that visit. 

A lunch meeting with our Uncle Herman and Aunt Karen at Montanas. It too was a happy time and we had hoped to do it again.  Uncle Herman came quite a few times to visit Garth in hospital too

Garths Medical Journey ... all the good and bad to make everyone more accountable for their decisions to ignore their own body

Garths family loved to travel and sometimes with extended family.  Wetaskawin , Calgary, Edmonton and Lake Louise  in Alberta. Black Hills in South Dakota, Toronto and Niagra Falls. Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin USA and the last trip togeather all the way to Cuba. 

Family vacations

Garth sang in Grant Memorial Baptist Church Choir as a tenor. He sang in a Christan Band called "Image". He was actor / singer/ soloist in many childrens musicals thru out the 80's at Grant Memorial church such as BullFrogs and Butterflies, Music Machine, and for the Christmas season there was always the Living Christmas Tree. 

Garths many Talents. Actor, singer 

Garths family consisted of wife Cecily, Son John and daughter Kari. He had three sisters, Dianne, Doreen, Grace and brother in laws Dave and (late) David .. nephews Richard, Daniel and Matthew. 

Garths family 

Garth Aaron DeVries
June 22, 1959 – May 7, 2026

After a short battle with cancer, Garth passed from this world to the next with the love and support of his family by his side as he began his journey to glory.

Born in Dauphin, Garth was raised in a loving Christian family home where faith, family, and strong values shaped the person he became. He spent the majority of his life in Winnipeg and attended John M King School, Deer Lodge Junior High, and Sturgeon Creek Collegiate.

It was at Sturgeon Creek that he met his high school sweetheart, Cecily. Their story began on her birthday, when they were introduced after Garth mischievously shoved dried leaves down her shirt. From that unforgettable beginning grew a beautiful love story. They shared 45 wonderful years together and rarely spent time apart. They were married on August 23, 1980, with Paul Jersak and Murray Harris standing beside him as his best men.

As a young boy, Garth sang with the Winnipeg Boys Choir.  Music remained a lifelong passion and gift. As an adult, he sang with a Christian band called Image and was a tenor in the choir at Grant Memorial Baptist Church. He especially loved the Christmas cantatas, Living Christmas Tree performances, and most of all, the children's musicals where his powerful voice could shine. Every Saturday, Garth and his family faithfully went to church to help prepare for Sunday School. Garth always  remembered fondly  every summer the trips for weekly camp at Bird River Bible Camp where he recieved Christ as his Saviour

Throughout his life, Garth worked at Sir John's Restaurant, Motor Coach Industries, Grant Memorial Church, and spent his final 15 working years at Walmart. Along the way, he made many lasting friendships.

Those who knew Garth remember him fondly for his powerful singing voice, his quick smile, and the fact that he was always authentically himself. You always got Garth exactly as he was. He never stood on ceremony.

Family was very important to him, and some of his treasured memories were family trips to the Black Hills of South Dakota, Toronto and Niagara Falls, Wetaskiwin, Edmonton, Calgary, Banff, and Jasper. His last trip was to Cuba with family, his sisters, and his cousin Janine and her husband Brent. The family is especially grateful he was able to enjoy that special trip before his illness.

Garth leaves to mourn his loving wife, Cecily; his children, John Jr. and Kari; his sisters, Dianne, Doreen, and Grace (Dave); sisters-in-law Carla (Frank), Susan, and Adrian; nephews Daniel, Richard, and Matthew; and brother-in-law Mike (Rosanna)

He was predeceased by his parents, John and Laural; his father-in-law Richard; and his brother-in-law Dave.

Special thank you to Gimli Hospital and Health Science Centre Stroke ward, CancerCare Manitoba, and Dr Marina Ada Quaye his family Dr in Gimli. And a special thank you to his  nephew Richard who was a constant caregiver to Garth during his illness.

Garth will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all whose lives he touched.

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Garth "GUS" Aaron DeVries