Eric Joseph Mallmes

Eric’s life journey began in Aachen, Germany on August 13th, 1930. He was the eldest son of six children. At the age of twenty-one, he left Hanover, Germany on a farm labor passport for Canada. Eric received his landed immigrant status on July 19, 1952, in Halifax, Nova Scotia and settled in Saskatchewan, working as a labourer on two farms near Cardross while he was learning English. He formed a lifelong friendship with the Wards and Seeverses and would often take his future family back to the area to visit and let his children experience the wonders of farm life.

After a couple of years Eric left the farm to work for Husky in Moose Jaw. Eric paid frequent visits to the nearby magazine store where his future wife (June) worked and on May 12, 1956, they married. They had four children and in 1967, Eric and June moved their young family to Swift Current where he worked as a Field Sales Representative for Petrolite.

In 1975, Eric and the family moved to Calgary where he continued to work for Petrolite as District Manager, followed by a stint in Wainwright (1979) and then back to Calgary (1986). He established a number of friendships with his co-workers over the years, and those friendships persisted after his retirement from Petrolite in 1992.

Eric also maintained a strong relationship with his wife’s siblings, nieces, and nephews over the years, enjoying extended family dinners with them and vacations. Eric returned to Germany numerous times, and we all had the privilege of meeting his parents and siblings when they visited Canada or we made a trip to Germany. After retirement he got to know his neighbors and they would often get together for golf and coffee.

Eric was always ready to lend a hand to others and brought a lot of talents to the table. He could fix most anything and was extremely well read. He could often be found with his “nose in a newspaper.” He believed in life-long learning and encouraged his children to pursue a post-secondary education. He took his role as the “head of the household” seriously and successfully imparted the values of integrity, responsibility, and a strong work ethic to his children.

When not working or taking care of things around the homestead, Eric liked to explore the lakes of Canada, and we had many wonderful family vacations as a result.

The door was always open at Eric and June’s. They would find a plate for visitors and invite them to have a seat at the table. We (the children) could count on their support when needed.

Eric is survived by his children Jeff (Jan), Rod (Donna), Maureen (Cara Brown), and Karen Taylor (Bill); his grandchildren, Will, Amanda, and Eric Taylor; his great-grandchildren, Darius, Sebastian, and Lilly; his sisters Judith Rieffel and Marianne Collette; brother Paul Herbert and numerous nieces and nephews. Eric was predeceased by his wife June (2021), parents Peter and Johanna Mallmes, sisters Irene Fischer, Emily Mautner, and numerous friends and in-laws.

Eric retained his independence until the end. He continued to live in his own home and was able to drive his Mercedes well past his 95th birthday. He was very blessed.

At the family’s request, there will be a private memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Eric’s name to the Cardiovascular Unit at the Calgary Foothills Hospital (https://www.calgaryhealthfoundation.ca/cardiac-care/)