Thomas Gregory Natyshen: May 9, 1929, to September 21, 2025
Tom was the first of seven children born to George and Katie Hnatyshyn in Canora, Saskatchewan. He grew up on a farm in a large Ukrainian/Polish community.
As a young man, Tom worked in Ontario in lumber camps, and on the hydroelectric tunnels under Niagara Falls. In his twenties, he travelled to Yellowknife, NWT, where he met Carole, his wife of 68 years and they raised their 5 children. Tom worked for Giant Yellowknife Mines for 33 years, retiring after many years as an underground supervisor. After retiring from mining, Tom and Mom moved to Calgary, where he worked in security at the Calgary International Airport. They moved to Didsbury in the early 1990’s, where they grew an amazing garden, winning many ribbons for vegetables and flowers, at the County Fair in Olds. When Walmart came to Olds, Tom was hired as a Greeter, the second oldest Walmart employee in Alberta.
Tom loved meeting people, telling jokes and stories, camping, growing potatoes and watching hockey and football. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, and a lifetime member of the Canadian Legion and Elks club.
Tom leaves to mourn: his wife Carole, their five children –Diane Gwilliam (Larry), Katherine Mahoney (Edward), Michael (Janett), Gregory and George, eight grandchildren: Jennifer, Jeffery, Meghan, Colleen, Andrew, Kendra, Tyler, and Jessica and eight great- grandchildren: Zoe, Graeme, Malcolm, Nathaniel, Elsie, Leo, Katie, and Mackenzie, as well as four siblings, Marjorie Hnatyshyn, Vickie Sopkow, Mickey Schwanke (Len), and John Natyshen.
Tom’s funeral will be held at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Olds, Alberta, at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, October 11, 2025, with viewing starting at 11:00 AM. He will be laid to rest in the Didsbury Cemetery immediately following the funeral, and a reception will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Didsbury following the burial.
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 5226 – 46 Street, Olds, Alberta. Phone: 403.507.8610

• Date : 2025-10-09
• Location : (Olds) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com