Dwayne Blumhagen

Dwayne Blumhagen passed away peacefully on October 8, 2025, in sharp contrast to the rest of his life, which was spent cooking up trouble wherever he went. When asked if he required spiritual guidance prior to his passing, his kids considered, “Maybe an exorcist?” Dwayne was enigmatic and larger than life; he filled every room with laughter and made friends wherever he went. Everyone who met him has fond memories of clutching their stomachs and gasping for air from laughter whenever he was in the room. It’s impossible to reduce such a big personality into a short and tidy obituary. Trust us, we tried. Dwayne was born on July 12, 1961, in Castor, Alberta, to Marvin Blumhagen and Gloria (née Litke), much to the terror of his older sister Jeanne. He quickly took his self-appointed role as Chief Mischief Coordinator very seriously, extending his antics to sisters Shelly and Brenda and brother Rick when they arrived on the scene. Despite his early career in mischief, Dwayne rallied his siblings around him through his teen and early adult years, creating a lifetime of stories (and occasional chaos). He reflected fondly on his years terrorizing the communities of Beverly and Forestburg, where his laugh and his reputation both echoed for miles. He spent his fair share of time in country bars, ripping through the mud in his Jeeps, and charming everyone he met. Some of his favourite years were spent fixing up classic cars and reselling them. While no one can confirm the exact number, estimates suggest that the total number of vehicles Dwayne owned is somewhere between “too many” and “call the Guinness Book.” As an adult, Dwayne married Heather Spencer and they welcomed two sons: Danny and Jesse. He was immensely proud of his boys and loved them with a fierceness that showed in the way he teased them, but also bragged about them. Later in life, Dwayne met JoAnn (née Corry), the love of his life. They married and blended their families; a crew that included JoAnn’s children Richard, Leanne, Steven, Mikel, Katy, and Victoria. Together they built a home filled with laughter, teasing, and the kind of chaos Dwayne thrived on. He took to his role as husband and dad with his usual mix of stubbornness, humour, and heart. Eventually Dwayne and JoAnn traded the cold prairies for Okanagan sunshine, settling in Kelowna. Dwayne loved the lake and the freedom of exploring the mountains during that phase of his life. Above all, and despite Dwayne’s determined efforts to convince us he was an indignant, stubborn “tough guy,” everyone saw right through him. Beneath the gruff exterior was a big-hearted softie. He’d curse his way through acts of love, fixing our cars, perfecting his smashburger recipe for family BBQs, or planning surprise gifts to Jo. Despite his famed impatience, he was known to spend an unreasonable amount of time standing in card aisles, picking out the perfect birthday card for someone he loved. He’d be upset that we mentioned it, but his softness was an open secret in the family. Dwayne leaves behind his wife, JoAnn, and children Daniel, Jesse (Katrina), Richard Anderson (Rebecca), Leanne Marion (Tyler), Steven Anderson (Nicole), Kathryn Anderson (Nicholas Stewner), and Victoria Anderson (Joshua Hockin); his siblings Jeanne Bishop, Brenda Leavitt (John), Shelly Norquay (Kevin), and Rick (Pauline); sister-in-law Myra Dechant, brothers-in-law Robert Corry (Deborah) and James Corry (Pam) and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends who will miss his one-liners, his generosity, and his uncanny ability to make everything more fun. Dwayne adored his grandchildren Lucas, Grayson, Jayden, Madison, Jordy, Jack, Riley, Codi Pearl, Sabastian, and Lyndyn. He is predeceased by his parents, Marvin and Gloria, parents-in-law Rosemarie and Fred Horn and Herman and Betty Corry, his son, Mikel Anderson, and nephew Steven Bishop. A celebration of Dwayne’s life will be held on November 2, 2025 at 2:00pm at the Bison Lodge, 9430 Scona Road NW, Edmonton, Alberta, where stories, laughter, and probably a few unprintable jokes will be shared in his honour. Memorial donations may be made to the Winnifred Stewart Association.

Dwayne Blumhagen

July 12, 1961 - October 8, 2025