07/11/2026
Deane Parkes (The Ex) đź’›
As many of you know, we lost Deane on June 10th. What made it even harder was that June 10th was also the one-year anniversary of the day we admitted my sister, Brenda, into the hospital. That day ultimately gave us four more precious months together as she began her journey home. Deane’s sudden passing felt like an unwelcome cherry on top of an already incredibly difficult year. They passed eight months apart.
Deane was my brother-in-law for more than 35 years. Even after he and Brenda divorced, he never stopped being my family.
He was also my mentor, my boss, the person I occasionally wanted to dropkick the furthest…but he was also my buddy and one of my closest confidants.
Deane and I shared the same slightly twisted sense of humour.
We spent countless hours together—driving across Canada, travelling in the U.S., working side by side, walking dogs, building a shed in 30°C heat, only to have it destroyed in a windstorm a day later, or simply sitting in the backyard talking.
Much of our time together was spent laughing so hard we could barely breathe.
We got used to the rest of the family rolling their eyes and walking away because, once we got going, there was no stopping us.
We’d laugh at ourselves, we’d laugh at life—we would, of course, laugh at them (our family) and sometimes we’d laugh at absolutely nothing.
When I was 29 years old, Deane convinced me to buy a health food store with him and Brenda.
I honestly thought he was out of his mind.
I had what I thought was a great life in Vancouver, and out of the blue he wanted me to move to tiny Creston, British Columbia, and become a retailer.
There was even a pool at the company I was working at on how long I’d last.
Three months was the longest anyone gave me.
But Deane believed in me.
He told me I’d be good at it.
He told me to trust him—and trust myself.
So I did.
For the next 30+ years, Deane never stopped teaching me.
We worked together in our Creston store for two years.
Then he was offered a great position, and he and the family headed for greener pastures in Ontario.
I bought them out and stayed on for another six years.
Over the years we worked together in different capacities.
I sold products into health food stores for Preferred Nutrition, the company he started with Brenda.
We travelled together with our buddy Bruce Cole, teaching retail seminars across Western Canada.
Bruce and I were the warm-up acts, while Deane was the main event.
We spent countless hours on the road listening to Barry White, singing, laughing, solving the world’s problems, trying to answer existential questions…and once in a while, we even slept.
When Brenda became ill, and especially after she passed away, I honestly don’t know what I would have done without him.
He quietly stepped in and effortlessly became part of the everyday life of our store and community.
He started to get me to dream again.
I got a call from one of my suppliers, who had always read Deane’s articles.
She asked, “How on earth do you have the legend Deane Parkes working in your little store?”
I just laughed and said, “Aww… Brenda made him.”
Actually, he volunteered.
He’s family.
Our family.
Deane used to say that he started his career working in a health food store, and he figured he’d end his career working in one too.
The last Saturday Deane worked, he called and asked me, “Do you need me to come in?”
I said, “Yep. I’ve got a big job for you.”
After my new co-worker, Layne, pointed out that the cleaning products had the best view in the store, I finally decided it was time to make the changes I’d been wanting to make for almost eight years.
I told Deane I wanted to move the checkout to the front window.
Then I wanted him to work his magic and make me a planogram for the rest of the store.
I said, “I’ve wanted to change these shelves forever. It’s time. I’ll find the sledgehammer. Then we can stand at the till, look out at our mountain, be grateful, laugh and dream.”
Deane threw himself into it.
By the end of his shift, he handed me the sketch.
It was perfect.
Four days later…
…he was gone.
I’d love for you to come into the store and see what we’ve done.
Layne and I ordered the shelving, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
I was blessed with an incredible dream team: Layne, Dion, Caara, Alyssa, Sabrina, and Heather.
We worked for four straight days to make it happen.
We’re about 90 percent finished.
There are still a few shelves to install and a few finishing touches, but they’re coming.
To me, breathing new life into the store is my tribute to Deane.
Without his help and support, I am not sure if I could have kept things going while I found my answers and worked my way through the grief of losing Brenda.
He reminded me how much I loved serving a community—especially this one.
My first experience owning a store was more than 30 years ago, and I owned it for eight years.
I’ve had this store for almost eight years—August 15th marks that milestone.
And now it feels like Chapter Three.
A fresh beginning…with Deane’s fingerprints everywhere.
So please come in.
Take a look around.
**I think you’ll find both Brenda and Deane are still there.
I know I do.
I have both of them to thank.**
I have this community to thank for the incredible kindness and support you’ve shown me.
And I have Deane to thank for enriching the last 35 years of my life.
He was always there for me.
I’d like to think I was always there for him.
That’s what family does.
That’s what brothers and sisters do.
That’s what we were.
I’m always going to miss Brenda and Deane.
Those two are probably arguing and laughing about something, somewhere.
I love that they truly loved one another.
A bit unconventional, perhaps—but they were a dynamic team.
Every day I unlock my store, I feel them both.
I’ll still hear Deane’s ideas.
I’ll still laugh at his jokes.
And I’ll always be grateful that, for 60 years, I got to call Brenda my big sister, my everything.
And for more than 35 years, I got to call Deane my brother and my friend.
Love you both.
See ya when I see ya. ❤️
