Obituary of Russell Allen Dillabough

May 14, 1951   June 12, 2017  
Age 66 years

In loving memory of Russell Allen Dillabough.
Russ was born May 14, 1951 in Grande Prairie but grew up on the family farm north of Bezanson.  He was the third of seven children for Jeff and Bertha Dillabough, he went to school in Bezanson then in later years in Grande Prairie. He always loved being on the farm, working with horses and the peacefulness of nature. In his mid teens, he left home and was very involved in the Teepee Creek Rodeo Association and started working on the rigs. He married Laurel Christensen in 1974 and they had 3 children, Tyla, Trevor and Pamela. They moved out of the area for a period of time due to the nature of working in oilfield. Life had its ups and downs and changes along the way, his family moved back to Grande Prairie but he stayed in the Edmonton area and worked on a sod farm for a number of years before returning home in the early 90’s. Upon returning he became a grandfather and returned to the oilfield. In 1997 he and Violet Jantz reconnected and moved out to the family homestead in Bezanson in 2001. Russ was always the guy with a big heart and did anything he could to help others out, even as a kid anytime he went to the store he always came home with a bag of candy to share with his brothers and sisters. You could find him anywhere in crowd just from hearing his laugh. He worked hard till 12 years ago when he started to have health issues that continued to increase and limit him from being able to be out playing with his horses or going for daily drives with Violet to take pictures of nature, to having very limited mobility.
Russ leaves behind his wife Violet Jantz, his daughter Tyla (Jason) Savard, grandchildren Carrissa and Taylor Klassen and Jayda Savard, his son Trevor (Cari-Lyn) Christensen, grandchildren Dominic and Derika Christensen, his daughter Pamela (Monica Stanley) Christensen. step son Don (Marcie) Pellerin and children, step daughter Susan (Bruce) Anderson and children, step son Richard (Shaina) Pellerin and children, step daughter Carla (Ryan Schumard) Pellerin and children. His sisters Deb (Paul) Green, Rhonda (Brian) Sailor, Brenda (Jan) VanHaga, sister in laws Sharon (Murray) Dillabough and Sylvia (Neil) Dillabough and many nephews and nieces.
He is predeceased by his parents Jeff and Bertha Dillabough, sister Geraldine Dillabough, brothers Murray and Neil Dillabough and nephew Steven VanHaga.

There will be a Celebration of Life later on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 2:00 PM at Bezanson Memorial Hall. We invite you to come share memories and stories of Russ to tribute his time with us.
Memorial donations can be made to the Bezanson Agricultural Society towards the expansion of the community hall.
Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral (780) 830-7742 www.bearcreekfuneral.com