John Cross
July 30, 1949 – December 31, 2017

With heavy hearts, the wife and family of John Richard Cross announce his peaceful passing on December 31, 2017 at the age of 68. John, the eldest of nine, was born in Melfort, SK on July 30, 1949 to Edward and Winnifred Cross and was raised on the family farm near Pleasantdale, SK. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Manitoba where he achieved a Bachelor of Environmental Studies. His talent for design was nurtured and shared at Muttart Homes in Regina, the architecture firm of Forrester Scott Bowers Cooper Walls in Saskatoon, Humboldt Lumber Mart, Bourgault Industries, and Doepker Industries. John lived his passion for design and architecture through his business Cross Country Designs – creating many one of a kind homes, businesses, and churches. He and his wife Maxine also owned and operated Cross Country Distributors in St. Brieux for 8 years to complement John’s design business. At a New Year’s Eve dance on December 31, 1973, John reunited with his high school sweetheart Maxine Prete and they were married on October 5, 1974. They lived in Saskatoon until the birth of their daughter Nicole in 1977, then moved to Lake Lenore for a short time while John designed and he and Maxine built their home by hand on the acreage near St. Brieux in 1979. They were blessed with the birth of their second daughter Jynell in 1980. Growing up with eight siblings and numerous cousins to tease and play with at the farm and at his grandparents’ resort at Stoney Beach on Lake Kipabiskau, John’s roots were his family. He built his own family around traditions – tucking his girls into bed every night with prayers, an annual family fishing trip to Jan Lake, adorning the house with garlands and setting the yard aglow with hundreds of Christmas lights, family road trips with a general destination but no particular plan in mind, wandering the acreage with his grandson Kewin collecting rocks and riding the old Oliver 88 tractor together, and playing horsey-goes-a-trotting with his granddaughter Varenna “Papa’s Baby Girl”. John shared his kindness generously and greeted everyone with a hug whether they wanted one or not – that is how he expressed the gifts of his warm heart and unconditional love. John will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by his wife Maxine Cross; his daughter Nicole Cross and grandson Kewin Sommerfeld; his daughter Jynell Cross, son-in-law Adam Stachelek and granddaughter Varenna Stachelek; his siblings, nieces, and nephews – Dan Cross (sister-in-law Kathy Cross, Danielle, Jamie, Shane), Robert (Bonnie) Cross (Lynn, Marni), Catherine (Brian) Bradley (Aaron, Anita, Theresa, Amanda, Brianna), Karen Cross (friend Brian), Margaret (Arlen) Reed (Christopher, Geoffrey, Dana), Emily (Don) Kjelshus (Jennifer, Sara, Jackie, Lindsay), Reg (Leslie) Cross (Scott, Kacey, Corrin), and Kim (Rebecca) Cross (John); his parents-in-law Alvin and Stella Prete; his sisters-in law and their families – Beth (Terry) Newberry (Darren, Staci), Pauline (Allan) Holtvogt (Brett, Holly); numerous great nieces and nephews; and lifelong friends John and Donalda Gerstmar and their family. John was predeceased by his parents Edward and Winnifred (nee Wilkins) Cross, sister-in-law Rae (nee Arnett) Cross, and infant nephew Robert Shane Cross. The Funeral Mass for John was held at St. Brieux Roman Catholic Church at 2pm Saturday, January 6, 2018. A private interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Kermaria Cemetery Fund, Kinsmen Telemiracle, or St. Brieux Manor. 

This notice placed courtesy of
Malinoski & Danyluik Funeral Home
Phone: 682-1622