This notice is from the archives of The Notice Board. Information contained in this notice was accurate at the time of publication but may no longer be so.
The University of Lethbridge extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of John “Jack” Lilja, who passed away on Saturday, Oct. 15 at age 86.
Lilja, a lover of basketball, coached the Pronghorns women’s basketball team for four seasons in the 1970s. He passed that love of basketball on to his entire family. Three of his daughters, Lynette, Lorell and Leslie, all played for the Pronghorns, and his son, Jack Jr., played both basketball and soccer for the Pronghorns. Lynette was a two-time Canada West all-star and named Pronghorn Female Athlete of the Year in 1983. His granddaughter, Lauren Taal, followed her aunts and played for the Pronghorns while working toward a degree in kinesiology. The Lilja family was inducted into the Pronghorn Hall of Fame in 2002. A full obituary can be found on the Cornerstone Funeral Home website.
At Lilja’s request, no funeral service will be held and a private family service will be scheduled sometime in the future.
Contact:
caroline.zentner | caroline.zentner@uleth.ca