On Wednesday, July 17, 2019, Darwin Lynn Gillett, better known by some as “Dag”, lost his long-fought battle with cancer. Darwin was born in Peace River on March 26, 1962 to Everett and Mildred Gillett. In his young adolescence, he met his forever love Kathleen Gail Sutley and they later married on May 29, 1999. Darwin and Kathleen spent Darwin’s best and final years on their much beloved acreage outside of Eckville, Alberta, raising their son, Dekker, daughter Delaini and treasured family pets.

Darwin was an avid hunter and fisherman who took pride in making sausage, jerky and using his smoker for everything, including family suppers every Sunday night. He loved creating smoked delicacies for family and friends. Darwin also was a self-proclaimed “picker” and antique collector. His favourite spot was in his shop where he could enjoy all of the prized possessions that he had picked up along the way. Darwin was proud of his cooking and his collections, but his greatest pride was his children Dekker and Delaini. He enjoyed working around the yard with his children and finishing the day off with a fire that was typically quite large.

Darwin leaves a forever hole in the hearts of wife Kathleen, children Delaini and Dekker, four brothers, Doug (Ann), Gerald, Kent (Cindy), and Laverne (Gwen), and three brother-in-laws, Kevin (Nadien), Kelly, and Keenan. He is also forever loved by mother-in-law Gail Sutley, father-in-law Keith (Irene) Sutley, Gord and Kim Skakun and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Darwin joins his previously deceased mother Mildred, father Everett, brother Rodney, sister-in-law Sylvia and his favourite auntie, Doris, whereupon his arrival they have certainly broken out their guitars.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are asked to, as Darwin would say, “lock both locks,” “take care of the place,” “slow down and think about what you’re doing”, and pour a beer and clam in his honour.

Donations can also be made directly to the “Unit 32 Slush Fund” at the Red Deer Regional Hospital, where Terry and her staff worked hard to take care of Darwin and his family in his final days.

A memorial for Darwin will be held Monday, July 29, 2019 at the Eckville Community Centre at 2 pm.

Condolences for the family may be emailed to meaningful@telus.net. Arrangements in care of Meaningful Memorials Funeral Service, serving Red Deer and all of Central Alberta, 587-876-4944.

• Date : 2019-07-17
• Location : Red Deer