PAUL SAASTO

March 23, 1954 ~ May 30, 2025
It is with great sadness and heartbreak that the family of Paul "John" Saasto announce his sudden passing at St. Joseph's Hospital on May 30, 2025, after a battle with cancer and several other medical complications.

John was born in Port Arthur on March 23, 1954, to Paul and Alice Saasto, a little brother to Elaine. John attended Ogden Street School and graduated from Selkirk High School. He married the love of his life Anne Saasto in 1984, started a family and had a successful career with Erco Chemicals. In 2020 they retired to Sunrise Beach Drive, where they continued their efforts of renovating and landscaping the family Camp with John promising, 'This place is going to look like a park when I'm done'. And, it does. After several years of retirement, he began driving school bus which he thoroughly enjoyed and which afforded him summers off to golf daily with his crew at Strathcona Golf Course. He enjoyed his weekly coffee dates with the guys, and travelled to North Carolina and Florida many times to golf with his numerous friends.

John was an avid sports enthusiast. He was an accomplished bowler and attended tournaments all over Canada and the States. He loved to bowl and golf but his greatest passion was hockey. A devout Montreal Canadians fan, he spent countless hours at the rink while his son played hockey. He eventually got involved in management positions in Junior B Hockey with the K & A Wolverines, the Northern Hawks and, most recently with the Current River Storm. He truly enjoyed being at the rink with the hockey team, imparting his knowledge, cheering them on, cracking jokes with a twinkle in his eye and he was always very proud of them, win or lose.

John was a very understanding, patient and kind man and treated everyone with respect and he will truly be missed by everyone that knew him. Always looking for the lighter side of things, he was quick to make you laugh, had a knack for making everyone feel at ease and was a steady man in a storm. He always 'knew a guy' and could be counted on to help with any problem.

John will be lovingly remembered and truly missed by his wife Anne, son Mark (Melissa Hazen), step-daughter Charleen (Richard) and step-grandson Declan Moorey, sister Elaine (James) Podd, sisters-in-law Marja-Liisa Raty and Donna Hilden, brother-in-law Kari (Kati) Hilden, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and his furry friends Gunnar, Torrie and Carl.

John was predeceased by his parents Alice and Paul Saasto, mother-in-law Anna Gadd, father-in-law Reino Hilden, brothers-in-law Kai Hilden and Pertti Raty, nephews Kurt Hilden and Samuel Raty, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics at St. Joseph's Hospital, TBSHSC and the Regional Cancer Clinic. A special thank you to Dr. Christian O'Brien, Dr. Marlon Hagerty and Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim for the care and compassion they provided John with his numerous health issues.

A Celebration of John's life will be held at Hilldale Lutheran Church, 321 Hilldale Road on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Presided by Rev. Jari Lahtinen at 12:00 Noon. A light luncheon will follow, where everyone will be welcome to share their memories of John.

If desired, donations may be made to Pro Kids in John's memory.

Condolences may be offered at www.harbourviewfuneral.ca
Until we meet again, we will hold you in our hearts.