Obituary of John Edwin Maybin

February 14, 1925 – Regina, Saskatchewan 
July 31, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

The love of my life, my wonderful husband John Maybin passed away on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at the age of 96 years. I need to tell you this man was everything to me, my family and his friends. He listened and responded with such quiet intelligence. Everyone loved him. John was born in Regina, SK on February 14, 1925. We were married for fifty-seven years, after I spent three years chasing him. 

John received his primary and secondary education in Calgary, AB. He started his engineering at the University of Alberta, however, in 1944 after his second year, he volunteered for service in England with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. He returned to the University of Alberta in 1946 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics. He was then awarded a fellowship at Princeton University in New Jersey and obtained his Master of Science in Engineering degree in 1949. After graduation John was employed in Calgary by two affiliated gas utility companies, Canadian Western Natural Gas located in Calgary and Northwestern Utilities located in Edmonton. He became a Vice-President in 1963, Executive Vice-President in 1965 and President of the two companies in 1968. He moved to Edmonton in 1969 after becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Office of a group of utility companies including the gas companies and an electric utility, all of which are now part of Canadian Utilities Limited. In 1972 and 1973 John lived in the Philadelphia area where he was employed as a Group Vice-President of IU International. This was a corporation which, at the time, as part of being the major shareholder of Canadian Utilities Limited, was involved in ocean shipping, trucking and several other distribution and service businesses. He returned to Canada as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Utilities and from 1974 to 1980, based his office in Toronto. He then spent a year in Edmonton again before retiring from the Canadian Utilities group of companies in 1981.

From 1982 until 1985, he served as Executive Director of the Petroleum Recovery Institute, an organization located in Calgary, specializing in research directed toward improving the recovery of oil and gas from underground reservoirs. He was also recently President and a Director of Colmac Energy Inc., a privately owned company which generates and sells electric power in southern California.  John, in past years, has served as a member of the board of directors of Alberta Energy Company Ltd., Chieftain International Inc., International Mill Service Limited., Majestic Contractors Limited, Alberta Gas Trunk Line Company Limited, Revelstoke Building Materials Ltd., Pembina Pipe Lines Ltd., Echo Bay Mines Ltd., Geotechnical Resources Ltd., and Coseka Resources Limited. He was Chairman (1971-1972) of the Canadian Gas Association and served as the Canadian representative on the Bureau of the International Gas Union (1979-1981). He represented Canada (1982-1985) on an executive committee responsible for the International Energy Agency’s enhanced oil recovery activities.  Between 1984 and 1990, he served in several executive positions on the Board of the Calgary Centre for Performing Arts and was Chairman of the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary for the 1985-1987 term and continued as a member of its Board until 1991. 

He and Joy travelled extensively, from golfing in South Africa to exploring the wonders of the Galapagos. They also spent their winters in Palm Desert. Balancing his life, John enjoyed skiing and golfing with his buddies at the CGCC, Calgary Golf and Country Club. One of the more exciting and terrifying experiences he had was being on Flight 812 on November 12, 1971 with a hijacker for five hours.

John is survived by his wife of fifty-six years Joy, his niece Tricia Donaldson of Vancouver, BC, sisters-in-law Gail Parsons, Sally Parsons, Heather (Doug) Parsons Sharp of Red Deer, AB; niece, Sara Sharp of Calgary, AB; and nephew MacGregor Sharp (Steffi) of Bolzano, Italy.   

A Gathering will be held at Calgary Golf & Country Club (1 block west of the intersection of Elbow Drive & 50th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB) on Friday, August 6, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed here. The family would like to thank the Chinook Care Center for their compassionate care and support for John. 

In living memory of John Maybin, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

View John Maybin's Memorial Card Here