To know John Sexsmith was to adore him. Rarely without a smile on his face and quick with a quip, the sports reporter and anchor was an esteemed journalist at Global Edmonton for 26 years.
On Friday, he passed away following a lengthy and public battle with prostate cancer.
John became an Edmontonian in 1971 and graduated from NAIT’s Radio & Television program.
His professional broadcast career began at K-97 radio in 1990. Along with being the station’s sports director, John was an integral member of K-97 Breakfast Club.
He spent a year as an on-air host at 630 CHED before making the jump to television.
John was a beloved member of the Global Edmonton (ITV) team from 1997 to 2023. He won a national journalist award in 2014.
The clever and popular sportscaster said the best thing about his job was the opportunity to tell stories about the people in sports — from all sports and at all levels.
John was the king of puns, the master of groan-worthy dad jokes — a trait often reflected in his reporting.
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In the words of Global Edmonton managing editor Fletcher Kent: “John was our friend but he was also an icon in this city.
“Nobody was able to do it like Johnny did. There aren’t many out there that could make non-sports fans care about sports. John could.”
He dug up and told the most unique tales, such as when a golf ball from Alberta turned up on a remote island in Australia, or the story of an Edmonton arborist who competed in an international tree climbing competition.
John had the biggest heart and cared deeply.
Outside of work, John had many different interests and hobbies.
Coaching was one of John’s biggest passions. He was a high-performance coach with Hockey Alberta and was also a coach facilitator; which meant he coached other coaches.
Being a hockey dad was perhaps his biggest joy.
John built a replica hockey rink for his son Joel inside their home to help him hone his early skills. The labour of love took about two weeks to construct.
John and his wife Joanne were proud to be parents of a player in the Western Hockey League, who now plays on the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team.
He enjoyed cooking, gardening, collecting records, golf, camping and hiking. He loved dogs. His favourite book was The Catcher in the Rye and his favourite movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
John volunteered for numerous charity organizations, but had a special place in his heart for Sport Central, an organization that helps less fortunate athletes in Edmonton.
In recent years, he joined the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s philanthropy team.
John was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, and took an extended medical leave between March 2016 and March 2018. He endured surgeries, radiation and countless treatments.
John battled the cancer quietly for the first several years before going public with his journey. He returned in spring 2018 to working and, in his words, living with the disease.
He took part in Movember, raised money for medical research and worked to increase awareness concerning men’s mental and physical health.
John spoke about the benefits of joining a strength and conditioning program, complete with yoga classes, funded by Movember. Dealing with the physical toll of the cancer rattled John mentally, so he began seeing a psychologist and attended a prostate cancer support group.
He was open about the physical, mental, emotional and social toll of cancer and the treatments he underwent.
Underneath the jovial demeanour was a steely resolve to give it all he had in the fight against the disease. He gave 110 per cent in all aspects of his life for as long as his health allowed.
John knew there was no cure — his cancer would eventually take his life. He had one wish: live to see his son grow up.
That wish came true, and now, Johnny, as he was known to his colleagues, is at peace.
John Sexsmith was 63.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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