Albert liked to say “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” He filled his days with hard work, practical jokes, good natured teasing and thoughtful planning. His mind always seemed to be scheming ways to make things better, whether it was renovating the family home, landscaping with his skid steer, designing better tools for work or thinking up ways to help his “guys” be the best they could be. In all parts of his life, he led by example, never asking anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself.
He had an enduring impact on the lives of people around him, in Alberta with the successful construction company he and his wife Rose created, in Swaziland through the decade he and the rest of his family spent working on Project Canaan and in Belize where he and Rose “retired” in 2015 to start another construction company and an ambulance service for the underserved people in southern Belize.
He found a great sense of satisfaction with a job well done and liked to leave things better and a bit more colourful than how he found them. His favorite phrase at staff meetings was “99% of the time we do a bang up job. It's the other 1% we can work on”. Even now that remains the driving force for his employees who never called him boss but rather “Gramps” or “Grandpa”.
Albert was a man of practical faith in God. On the days when he didn’t know how a problem would get solved, he would send up a prayer of gratitude and ask for guidance or help. Before long, something would happen that would help him find his way forward. His faith gave him the courage to take risks and keep pushing ahead with his visions.
Albert loved to discover what made people tick and was always up for a chuckle. Any unsuspecting person that crossed his path might be in for a bit of good natured ribbing or an off the wall question.
His life is a testament to love and commitment, with a marriage he enjoyed for over 40 years and 5 children that knew they always had his ear or his help if they needed it. He will be missed by his immediate and extended family as well as the many people that called him a friend.
If you’d like to make a gift to honour his legacy and celebrate his life, please support the Project Canaan Academy raising over 260 orphaned children in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). He and Rose supported their vision to share HOPE in Eswatini by fighting hunger, caring for orphans, decreasing poverty and providing education.
A memorial will be planned at a later date when we can gather. Until then his family asks that we connect, we talk, and we remember him well.
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