A Tribute to Our Friend and Colleague, John Deagle
John Deagle passed away on October 18, 2020 at 73 years of age. We will miss John’s sage advice and sense of humour, but the impact he left on the industry and with his colleagues lives on.
His career in the industry began as the landfill manager for Foothills Regional Services Commission after a successful stint in the private sector. He managed the landfill through a major development phase that has seen both landfill capacity and volumes grow significantly, while evolving into one of Alberta’s premier waste management facilities that includes recycling, composting, and even a garden.
John’s contribution to the Foothills facility, the Calgary and Region Waste Reduction Partnership, and Waste, Compost, and Recycling Regulation at the Provincial level was outstanding.
John rose to the occasion to manage materials from the 2013 flood, opening the landfill 24/7 and sourcing retired staff and volunteers to handle the increase in materials, while introducing efficiencies and safety measures for both public and staff. This allowed John and his staff to effectively handle one year’s waste in one month.
Colleague Pete Marshall has kind words to say about John.
“Always larger than life, he was disarmingly engaging and rarely more than a few minutes away from a roaring laugh about something, no matter how challenging the circumstances. A single day working with John usually held enough adventures to warrant at least one chapter in the book someone should write one day about the Alberta waste business. I was fortunate to be with him on quite of few of those adventures, at least during his BFI and Canadian Waste years. A unique and wonderful colleague and friend who cannot be replaced.”
John worked in the industry from the late 80s until his retirement in 2014, pursuing his passions for golf, cooking, woodworking and wine. John received the lifetime achievement award from the RCA in 2014.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.