Allen, known by many as Al, was born July 8, 1933 in Berry Creek, Alberta to Frederick Elwood Finigan and Ethel Blanche Allen. When he was 11 years old the family moved to Calgary. After graduating high school, he attended SAIT where he certified as a draftsman. In 1952 Al joined Canadian Western where he held many progressively advancing positions in Drafting from a Junior Draftsman, Draftsman, Intermediate Draftsman, Senior Draftsman, Chief Draftsman to the Supervisor of Drafting in December 1978. He became the Supervisor of CAM Graphics in 1982 and then the supervisor of Graphics in 1986 and then retired June 2, 1990.
Throughout Al’s career he has contributed significantly to the advancement of Drafting and Engineering Graphics both in Canadian Western and in the Graphics industry as well. Al was the founder of Canadian Western’s Computer Graphics Section. He has actively served on the Advisory Council for Engineering Graphics at SAIT and has represented Canadian Western consistently throughout his years of service. Al was a founding member of the Joint Utility Mapping Project with the City of Calgary. This project was a joint undertaking with the City of Calgary Engineering Department, AGT and CATV to develop a common computer-generated base map with all of the utilities’ facilities included. Al further contributed to the advancement of computer graphics in Canadian Western by serving on the Automated Mapping/Facilities Management Study in Business Systems. Canadian Western is on the forefront of Computer Graphics technology and applications and Al has been instrumental in this development.
Throughout his distinguished career, Al has contributed to the community as well as Canadian Western. He was actively involved with the Boy Scouts and the Jaycees for several years. He was appointed a Senator in 1973 as recognition for his exemplary contribution to the Jaycees.
In 1955 he married Sharyn Leavitt and together had 3 children, Debra Lynn, Daryl Allen, and Lori Sharlene.
On August 30, 1969 he married Aranka Goldie Munkacsi and happily enjoyed their time together as they traveled to lots of fun places such as Hungary, Italy, Australia, Utah, Arizona, High River, Mexico and frequently to Whitefish thru Polson Montana for skiing or golfing and socializing. Socializing was important to them, and especially to Allen when he could highlight his talent for cooking, and he had an ‘Al’s opinion’ on how food should be cooked and eaten. It needs to be said that they immensely enjoyed many chicken wings regularly with the “gang” for wings night. Going to Mexico yearly was another of their highlights. The family and friends at home envied their tans when they arrived home. What made it even more enjoyable was that it was with Goldie and that it was done with friends or family.
The diverse activities Al enjoyed kept him actively engaged with people of all ages. He even played baseball with a group of friends and traveled to different towns for tournaments. The young learnt from his talent and enthusiasm for skiing as he volunteered for the Nanci Greene kids’ program at Nakiska.
Al certainly was a certified, opinionated, sports enthusiast, even as grandkids started their hockey careers, even as a season ticket holder with the Calgary Flames, even as a booster in the stadium of his hometown football team, the Calgary Stampeders till lately in his armchair watching sports on TV. Allen actively and regularly participated in bowling with friends of his for many years. In his spare time, he could be found on the end of a hammer, a saw or a shovel building what needed to be built or fixing what needed to be fixed. He could fix anything.
As time moved forward, he found that the grandkids and the great grandkids were fun to hang around with and he enjoyed that a lot, especially when he could find a way for them to help him with a project around the house or otherwise, which included gardening; and he loved his garden and fresh garden vegetables.
His legacy lives on.
Allen is lovingly remembered by Debra Lynn (Gordon) Young (Pincher Creek), their 4 children Aaron, Robert, Christina and Breanne and 4 grandchildren; Daryl Allen (Dana) Brooks (St. George Utah), their 3 children Erika, Rachelle and Brayden and 11 grandchildren; Lori Sharlene Brooks (Orem Utah), her 4 children Randy, Jackie, David and Mickelle and 9 grandchildren.
Allen is survived by his sister Valda Stroman (DeWinton) and his brother Ronald (Helen) Finigan (Kamloops). Allen was predeceased by his wife Aranka Goldie Finigan, his parents Frederick Elwood Finigan and Ethel Blanch Allen Finigan and his eldest sister Eleanor Madge.
Additionally, Al will be sadly missed by all the special people who greatly blessed and enriched his life. We, the family, thank you for your dedicated and observable friendship and kindness to him.
In consideration of the restrictions of COVID, plans for a celebration of Allen’s life will be delayed until such time as travel is permitted from the United States.
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