John Suderman

After a long life of laughter and love, John Suderman of Dauphin, MB passed away on February 17, 2025.  John was the middle child in a family of seven. He attended Greenfarm School until grade 8 and then moved three miles away to Winkler to attend high school. After graduation, he taught elementary grades at Mulvihill School in the Interlake, and in 1949 relocated to Winnipeg to attend Provincial Normal School (then the name for teacher’s college). Due to the seating arrangements in alphabetical order, he met Joan Stinson, and they were married in Winnipeg on Aug. 13, 1952, during the height of the polio epidemic, which prevented some family members from attending.

John spent his working life addressed as Mr. Suderman, first as a elementary grades teacher in West Prospect (1950-1951), Birkenhead (1951-1953), and Kane (1953-1960) before moving to Winnipeg to attend United College, graduating with a B.A in 1961 and a B.Ed. in 1962.

After receiving his degrees, John and Joan and their young son Gary (born 1954) moved to Dauphin, MB in 1962, where he taught History and Math at the Dauphin Collegiate Technical Institute, and later at the Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School. He served as principal for a decade, retiring in 1984 at age 55.

He was very engaged in community life in Dauphin, joining the Kinsmen Club in 1963, and serving as secretary and president, chairing the board for the Manitoba Seniors Games held in Dauphin in 1994 and 2000, and volunteering on several community committees and boards. He was an active participant at Dauphin First United Church, serving as a member of the church board and as chairperson, and also preaching on occasion.

John was a proud father to Gary and Keith (born in 1963), spending many summers together at the cottage, and or travelling to see them in B.C. and New York State.

John was an avid baseball and softball player, pitching for any team that would have him. As an adult, he curled regularly, with a major curling highlight, scoring an eight ender.

He and Joan took up downhill skiing in their 40s and John described their technique as “rough.” After retirement, they spent ten winters in Kelowna, skiing at Big White as much as conditions permitted. Joan and John danced for many years with the Parkland Promenaders and they also joined an advanced level dance group in Kelowna, gaining both dancing skills and many more friends through this hobby.

John and Joan traveled the world, visiting Australia, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hawaii, as well as pulling their little Triple E trailer from coast to coast in Canada.

John Suderman is survived by his sons Gary and his partner Anne Galibois of Burnaby, B.C. and Keith and his partner Nancy Ide of Poughkeepsie, New York. He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Ella Hildebrand and Margaret Krahn, and his brothers David, Abe and Peter Suderman. He is survived by his sister Doreen Hildebrand (Alvin) of Winkler as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life for John was held on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 2:00 pm from the Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin, MB with Rev. Ilene Dowd officiating.

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