Obituary of Lees Jr.

Ian David Lees Jr., very dearly beloved son of Ian and Margaret, brother of Fawn, husband of Denise (Malsbury) and devoted father of Vegas, passed away gently and quietly at the Foothills Medical Centre on Monday, February 14, 2005 surrounded by and in the arms of family and friends after a courageous four-year struggle with brain cancer. Throughout his ordeal Ian maintained his dignity and sense of humour and accepted his journey never once questioning “why me”. To know Ian was to know a kind, intelligent, caring and compassionate young man who accepted with grace the things he knew he could not change. Ian was born on April 20, 1976 in Calgary and enjoyed his short life to the fullest. Ian was never one to take the easy road and never one to do things half-way. He excelled at anything he put his mind to and faced all life had to offer head-on. Reading and writing at a very early age, Ian enjoyed hockey, soccer, hiking, fishing, kickboxing, and playing the guitar while growing up and was a life-long reader of all books on all topics. Ian met the love of his life, Denise Malsbury, while working together in 1994 and together they had their daughter Vegas in 1995; and Ian set about to become the best father any child could ever wish for. One of his greatest joys were his recent trips with his daughter to Disneyland sharing with her his happiest childhood memories and creating new memories for her. Ian’s life took a tragic turn in November of 2000 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and two operations, radiation and chemotherapy all failed in trying to halt this insidious intruder. Throughout this four-year battle, Ian kept everyone upbeat and laughing all the time. Unable to work and on disability from constant seizures, Ian never let this stop him from volunteering wherever and whenever he could. Ian kept this up until it became too much of a struggle for him. Ian touched the lives of everyone he ever met throughout his life and was forever a champion of those less fortunate. Ian did things his way and succeeded by his strength and courage in showing us how we should live our daily lives. In true Ian fashion at the end of his short life, he brought everyone together and would be smiling at us now. Ian will be greatly missed by all his immediate family as well as Clarke and Wanda Malsbury, Danielle Malsbury and Delaney Malsbury, all of whom Ian respected and thought so highly of. He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Howard and Frances Gegear, and by his infant sister Megan. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Crowfoot Chapel (82 Crowfoot Circle N.W.) on Friday, February 18, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Cancer Foundation, c/o Tom Baker Cancer Centre, 1331 – 29 Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N2 Telephone: (403) 944-2433 or to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, 620 Colborne St., Suite 301, London, ON N6B 3R9 Telephone: 1-800-265-5106 www.braintumour.ca. Ian’s family wish to thank all the doctors and staff of the Foothills Medical Centre and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre who have had the pleasure of knowing Ian these past four years, but a special thank you to Dr. Alexandra Hanson who made a difference in Ian’s life in controlling his seizures and who Ian greatly admired and respected. In living memory of Ian Lees Jr., a tree will be planted at Nose Creek Valley by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot Chapel, 82 CROWFOOT CIRCLE N.W., CALGARY. Telephone: (403) 241-0044.