Obituary of Grant Saboe

J. Grant Saboe was born April 11, 1949 in Galahad, Alberta, the third child of Johnnie and Beth Saboe. He spent the majority of his life in Forestburg, Alberta, completing his primary schooling at Forestburg School. After graduating high school, he moved to Montana to attend veterinary school, but was persuaded to come home after he started expressing interest in fighting in the Vietnam war. In 1969 he married his high school girlfriend, Judy Steinhauer, in Forestburg. They had two girls, Nichol (Nicki) on August 24, 1969 and Leanne on June 2, 1971. Grant was working as a bank teller in Forestburg when he and Judy started their family. But Grant and Judy were busy during their first few years of marriage, living in 10 different homes in Edmonton, Bentley, Hinton and Forestburg, before eventually settling into their acreage north of Forestburg. Grant began apprenticing as a heavy duty mechanic while working at Forestburg Implements and completed his training at the coal mine in Forestburg. He spent several years at the mine as a mechanic and then foreman. Grant and his family spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors. He enjoyed camping and fishing in the summer and cross country skiing, tobogganing, skating with his kids and playing hockey in the winter. Although he technically grew up a 'town kid,' Grant always had one foot in the western way of life. So when his father retired from S&S Livestock in 1984, Grant left the mine to follow in his dad's footsteps and take over the business. Grant loved driving truck and over the years hauled a lot of different loads but livestock was his favourite. He would often refer to himself as an 'old trucker' or a 'cattle hauler.' Grant left truck driving for a few years, working other jobs like a gas plant operator, but ultimately went back to truck driving. Grant and Judy divorced in 1987. And in Sept. 1989 Grant married Barb Froland and became a stepfather to Barb's children Michelle and Darren. Grant soon became interested in Barb's favourite hobbies like gardening and making preserves. In fact, Grant and Barb even started a small business making and selling jams and other preserves. They also loved spending time with friends. Grant lost his wife, Barb, in July 2013 and shortly after that decided to retire. The years after Barb passed were very hard on Grant. His health began to deteriorate and he ultimately decided he didn't wish to continue. Grant passed away on November 14, 2015 at the age of 66. Grant leaves to mourn his children Nichol Saboe-Watts, Leanne Melnyk (husband Jared), Michelle Froland (fiancé Darrin Buchholz), and Darren Saboe, grandchildren Meggan Cole; Alex, Shelby, Jared and Jordan Watts; Emily and Veronica Saboe; and Max Melnyk; great grandchild Ryder Bownes, sister Lynn Brown, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Grant was predeceased by his wife Barb, his parents Johnnie and Beth Saboe, his brother Lyle Saboe, and other relatives and friends.