Passing of Jon Netelenbos #1507
December 5, 1949 – February 13, 2022
Jon was born to Eveline and Wim Netelenbos in Almelo, the Netherlands. At age 9 he immigrated with his family to Canada, eventually settling in St. Albert, Alberta. During his teens, Jon played in rock groups and at 17 he moved to Calgary. Following a brief stint as a writer for an oil & gas publication, he embarked on an exciting and rewarding 29-year police career with the Calgary Police Service, retiring in 2000. Still, with law enforcement in his blood, Jon returned to policing as police chief of the Lesser Slave Lake Regional Police Service, serving until 2006. A graduate of the University of Calgary, Jon served on many government boards, committees, and commissions including president of the Alberta Federation of Police Associations and VP of the Canadian Police Association and the Calgary Police Association. A former U of C senator, founding editor of CPA’s police magazine Ten Four and co-founder of the annual Alberta Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day, Jon was a member of the Alberta Solicitor General’s Police Act Review Committee, the Policing Review Steering Committee, the Alberta Psychiatric Nurses’ Association Conduct and Competency Committee, and Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. Whether giving testimony to a House of Commons justice committee or preparing grievance arbitrations, Jon represented police officers for decades and continuously sought to improve their work environment. Jon chaired the Calgary Soccer Council, a forerunner to the Calgary Soccer Federation, and managed the 1997 World Police-Fire Games’ soccer competition.
Following policing, Jon managed security services at SAIT and ENMAX and in 2014 retired as a security director at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre. During his retirement, Jon wrote a weekly op-ed column for the Peachland View while also serving as Editor of the Calgary Police Veterans Association Newsletter from 2018 – 2022.
Jon will be reunited for eternity with his loving spouse Karen (predeceased), and he leaves behind a delightfully “gezellig” family, encompassing the heart of his Dutch culture: daughters Nicole & Nadine and son Nathan (Jodi) and grandsons Jack and Weston. He is also survived by his sister Jane (Dominique) from France; brothers Willem (Kathleen) from Seattle and Alex (Ingrid) from Calgary.
The family would like to thank Drs. Jennifer Parsons and Kevin Koopman for their compassionate patient care.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Cuff an’ Billy in Calgary, Alberta this spring (exact date TBD).
Cremation arrangements were in care of Everden Rust Funeral Services, (250) 860-6440. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.everdenrust.com
Main link: www.everdenrust.com
Obituary link:
https://www.castanet.net/obituaries/NETELENBOS%2C_Jon/24864/
Mike Turcotte
Mike Turcotte