Glenn Stewart Byrnes

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Glenn Byrnes. Glenn departed peacefully on March 30, 2026, surrounded by loved ones at the Hospice at Glengarda in Saskatoon.

Glenn was born on November 6, 1940, in Eston, Saskatchewan, to Lorne and Vilda (née Stewart) Byrnes. He was the beloved brother of Jim and Joan (Hiebert). Glenn married his high school sweetheart, Pat (née Hewlitt) Byrnes, on April 28, 1962. Together, Glenn and Pat raised two daughters, Carrie and Melanie. Glenn shared a devoted life with Pat until her passing in October 2024.

After graduating from Eston High School, Glenn pursued his passion for agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture. Following university, Glenn returned to the family farm to work alongside his father, Lorne, and brother, Jim. The Byrnes boys became well known for their ingenuity and innovation. Glenn possessed a remarkable mechanical aptitude and an inventive mind. Together, Glenn and Jim designed and built 10-inch and 13-inch self-propelled augers, a 120-foot sprayer, a canary seed processing plant, and a bag spitter used to load bagged canary seed into rail cars—a piece of equipment still in use today. For the Byrnes boys, everything needed to be bigger, better, and faster.

The farm was the ideal environment for Glenn to grow up—one that allowed him and his siblings the freedom to roam, explore, create, build, invent, and occasionally blow up anything their imaginations could conceive.

In the late 1990s, Glenn turned his attention to preserving the 400-kilometre rail line running through Eston. He was a founding member of West Central Road & Rail and served as its Vice President from its inception in 1998 until its sale in 2015. In this role, Glenn applied his gifted mind to designing grain-handling facilities and quality-control solutions, such as grain samplers and entomology lights. Glenn also designed a dehuller for canaryseed and served on the Canaryseed Association, collaborating with researchers at the University of Saskatchewan to develop food-grade uses for canaryseed.

In retirement, Glenn and Pat spent winters in Arizona, while summers often found Glenn riding his Goldwing motorcycle. He met many interesting people and formed lifelong friendships while touring across Canada on his bike.

Glenn was full of energy, with a remarkable zest and enthusiasm for life. He was always up for an adventure—often before knowing what that adventure involved. He approached life with a youthful enthusiasm that was truly infectious. Glenn had a positive, encouraging, and outgoing nature. He loved helping others, no matter who they were, or when or where help was needed.

A man of deep and abiding faith, Glenn’s belief in God defined his life. His faith was not only central to who he was but was lived out in practical and meaningful ways every day. He often spoke of God’s impeccable timing when reflecting on both monumental and ordinary moments. His faith was perhaps best expressed through his actions toward others.

Glenn will be remembered for his unwavering kindness, his passion for life, and his wholehearted pursuit of God. His legacy lives on in the countless memories shared and in the many lives he touched. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Glenn was the beloved husband of the late Pat Byrnes; loving father of Carrie (Rob) Doell and Melanie (Rob) Lobdell; cherished grandfather of Cassie (Matt) Kupka, Ryan (Tracey) Wallace, Paige (Alex) Martin, and Brooke (Tom Specht) Lobdell; and treasured great-grandfather of Elliott Martin and Lochlan Wallace.

At Glenn’s request, a private memorial service will be held at the Eston Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Hospice at Glengarda, where Glenn received compassionate, kind, and exceptional care in his final days. The family is forever grateful for this facility and its devoted staff.

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