HANNA, ALTA. — John Deadlock is being remembered for his commitment to his community, his work ethic and his sense of humour.
Deadlock, who was a long-time Estevan resident, died on Sept. 6 in Hanna, Alta., where he had resided for several years. He was 88 years old.
The announcement was made on Facebook, and nearly 200 messages were posted paying tribute to him. Some of them offered their condolences, while others shared stories about their interactions with him over the years.
Deadlock was a well-known radio broadcaster in Estevan when he started to serve in public office. According to information provided by the City of Estevan, he was first elected to a public school board in July 1971.
In October 1973, he was elected as an alderman (now known as councillor) for city council for the first time. He was re-elected in 1976, 1979, 1982 and 1985.
In 1988, he took a shot at the mayor's job in a race that also included John Empey and incumbent mayor Bernie Collins. Empey was elected.
Deadlock was returned to council when he successfully ran for alderman in 1991, and was re-elected in 1994. He spent a total of 21 years on council.
Mayor Roy Ludwig recalled that when he was first elected as an alderman in 1994, he was seated next to Deadlock in council chambers.
"We enjoyed John on council. He had a good sense of humour. He had a lot of experience, which I, as a new councillor, was able to take advantage of. He sat beside me, and it was just a lot of fun," said Ludwig, who said Deadlock was a mentor who helped Ludwig learn the ropes of municipal politics.
They also had a lot of lighter moments, which alleviated the nervousness that Ludwig felt during his first term.
While he was serving on city council, Deadlock also became involved with the United Way Estevan and its telethon. During the initial years of the broadcast, he would serve as a host throughout the entire 36 hours of the fundraiser, staying up during the overnight hours and wearing bright suits.
Ludwig said Deadlock did a fantastic job on the United Way board.
"We'll always lovingly remember him for the United Way."
Deadlock remained involved with the telethon for many years, serving in a variety of capacities, including a year as the co-president. He also continued to be one of the hosts and served on different committees.
Even after moving to Hanna, he came back to Estevan a few times. He remained a host and interacted with school students during their appearances the first few hours of the broadcast.
His final appearance at the telethon was in 2016 for the 40th edition of the community event.
"The board and staff at the United Way Estevan send their sincerest condolences to John’s family. John was instrumental in helping United Way Estevan become the community-based organization that it is today. He was a great supporter of the community and we are very grateful for his years of service. He will be missed," the United Way stated in a Facebook post.
A funeral service for Deadlock will not be held.
