Condolences
Grandpa was such a generous man. He would always ask me how I was doing, and what was going on in my life. We always talked about soccer and sports. He liked hearing about my school, and what I want to be when I am older. He was very selfless in the sense that any conversation he would primarily ask about you, and was always very interested. Grandpas love for history I learned about the First Nations reserve he grew up on. He always came over for dinner and loved listening to Louis Armstrong. His face lit up anytime we played him. I will miss him very dearly.
Love,
Camille.
Dad is such a wonderful man in so many ways and he will be very much missed by his family and his huge circle of lifelong friends especially his Mobil colleagues, the Gourmet Group and his fellow travellers in the Elder Hostel group. Dad will always be remembered and loved for his kindness and his passion for so many things from the smallest finch to the tallest mountain. He loved the great outdoors so much he would even choose to man the bbq on the coldest of days. He especially loved his homes on Uralta and in Oakville and the neighbours that became friends. Calgary won first place as home for Dad as he always loved the big blue skies that he grew up with, in Saskatchewan. Second only to his family, Dad was passionate about sports and he and his father were Subscriber #1 when Sports Illustrated started. I had the pleasure of Dad’s company on many, many walks and playing golf a few times, too. Dad is both a natural athlete and a great companion.
Dad, I also loved the way you loved all of us and especially how much you loved Mom. You were so kind and loving to her that her stuttering melted away.
I wish you could have been with us longer. I hope you know you are always in our hearts and always will be. With love, Sue and Paul
Our deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences to all of Alan's large family. Alan was our first cousin on the Stephens
side. Our Dad, Dr. Herb ( Inez) Stephens, was the youngest in his family, Niah, the oldest. We all live in Edmonton and visited
with Al and Bernie over the years. We always enjoyed the Stephens cousin's gatherings at Verna and Sheldon's farm at
Rocky Mtn. House where we had good visits with Al and Bernie and family who came with them. Dorothy and Alan shared a
birthday, he was 15 yrs. older on 15 Mar. Sincerely, Donna[Gary] Bennett, Dorothy Reynolds, Margaret[Dave] McFarlane
My heartfelt condolences to all of the family .Uncle Alan was such a great person. We all looked forward to him and Aunt Bernie's visits to Ottawa.I will always hold onto the beautiful memories.May time and memories get you through these difficult times.
Love cousin Marilyn Erwin.❤️
Our sincere condolences to Uncle Alan’s family, in the loss of an incredibly warm and gentle soul.
We loved our visits with Alan and Bernie over the years when they came out east to Fitzroy Harbour and later Kinburn, Ontario.
Not surprisingly,the outpouring of love will motivate us to share stories of this remarkable, intelligent and extremely humble person , so where do you start?
I will always remember Alan Warden as a wonderful son who looked after his own father in his later years .
A loving brother, who adored his sisters Joan and his ‘ little sister’ Shirley. His frequent calls and visits to see mom did not go unnoticed in later years as our mom declined. He was a true brother...always thinking of others.
Alan was truly a wonderful son , brother and uncle .
He taught us about the meaning family without words .
We miss you and thank you for being part of our lives.
Love you. Sandra , Ed and family, Arnprior, Ontario.
We first knew Al years ago in Dawson Creek, we have many happy memories of times then and later in Calgary. He has been lauded as humble but we think of him more as a bit reserved and shy until he could happilly join in the fun and/or share his vast knowledge of his so many interersts. A gentelman and a scholar! Our condolences to the Warden and Fawcett families ~ all one in loving Al.
Ellenore and Ross Campbell
To Alan's Family:
I wanted to express my condolences to you all in the loss of your father, grandfather and uncle. I had a chance to become friends with Alan here at Scenic Acres Retirement. He was such a gentleman and I will very much miss him and his friendship. He was a very special person.
Mary Wennerstrom, Room 225
Sheldon and I send our condolences to all the members of the Warden family that have lost their dear father, grandfather and great grandfather. Both Alan and Bernie were exceptional people that left a lifetime of fond memories and were very proud of their large family. A special time was when my brother Don, his wife Nancy, Sheldon and I met with Alan and Bernie at Lake O'Hara for a long weekend. Alan was the perfect guide with his vast knowledge of nature and Bernie was in heaven with all the gorgeous mountain flowers in full bloom. We had a great time together and the evenings were topped off with five star meals at the lodge (yes, we liked to 'rough it'). Other happy times were shared when we gathered together at our Rocky farm for some cousin reunions. So many moments and memories to treasure.
Sheldon and Verna Code
Grandpa, as many have written here, was one of the most patient, kind, curious, and outstanding people that I have ever met. He took a genuine interest in every one of his grandkids (which is no small feat considering how many of us there are!), and was quick to congratulate us or reassure us that he had no doubt we'd be successful in whatever current topic we were currently worried about. His faith was unwavering in me. I've learnt a lot from him - both from talks about history and his life growing up in Saskatchewan, and from watching how he conducted himself in his life - with grace, dignity, balance, and love for his family.
I feel particularly lucky, that while I was home and unemployed during COVID, I was able to have many dinners with him and my parents where we'd talk about his life and all of the people in it. When I found another job, he was probably the most thrilled person for me. Losing him so quickly was a shock - I still had so much to ask him! He was a wealth of knowledge. Looking forward to when we can speak again over some delicious food and good music.
My beautiful father...I was so blessed to have him both as a parent and a mentor. Much will be said about his kindness, humility, and gentleness. Those of us that knew him well knew many other things about him - his sense of humour, the virtually photographic memory, and freakish strength despite his smaller stature. He was also incredibly resilient moving forward after losing his first wife and being willing to join in a large new family. I am humbled by his bravery both in the past and in his fight with Covid. In almost 63 trips around the sun I doubt I’ve met a finer human being. Looking forward to seeing family and friends at a future celebration of life.
From Scott Fawcett (Alan Warden’s 2 youngest son)
Alan Warden (Dad) was an exceptionally decent human being that selflessly gave his time and energy to his family. He had many life passions and here are a few of them:
Dad Believed in Being There for Family: From the time Al married Bernie it was understood by all that we had to attend the family dinners. We learned from Dad how to be part of a discussion with 12 people at the table. Dad ensured that everyone had a voice at the table. On Sundays we would have roast beef and many other nights we would have international gourmet dinners.
Dad was great at organizing the big family undertakings like putting in the dock and the boat hoist at Sylvan Lake. As a family we learned how to all contribute to this yearly ritual while standing in freezing cold lake water in the spring. A good lesson on getting a project done quickly. We also had an extensive chore list which detailed the chores for each sibling. With 10 kids at every meal the dishwasher had to be loaded/unloaded twice each evening when it was your night for dish duty. Through these chores, Dad taught us how to manage our household responsibilities and the importance of a good work ethic.
Dad loved Sports and Supporting Our Sports Activities: On the rare occasion we would have the family room TV on after dinner watching a hockey game it would be great to see Al make goaltending motions as shots were fired on the goal. Dad was one of the few parents that came out to my hockey games and he was there to see me score my first goal. Dad used to pitch in baseball, and he showed me how to hold a baseball to throw a curve ball. Following his footsteps, I took up pitching. It was nice to hear him in the stands yelling “good strike out Scott” to cheer me on. How he found time to be there for me and my other 9 siblings and my mom is truly incredible.
Dad was a History Genius: Over many dinners with Al he would share his extensive knowledge of the world history. Dad grew up within First Nations communities in Western Canada. Since he grew up with First Nations kids he would draw his deep understanding of their history and over dinners with grandchildren he would tell stories about the tribes and their territorial battles. He was always happy to teach the next generation about the world around us.
Dad Loved Music, Especially Jazz Music: Dad taught many people about the brilliant jazz music that was created in the 1920’s and 1930’s. When he came for dinner at our house in the last years of his life we would spend hours pulling up his favorite songs on Alexa. It was great to see Al immerse himself in the music start tapping his toes. He would be able to tell you about the history of each of these performers (where they were from, who else they performed with). A few of his many favorites were “Stompin’ at the Savoy” by Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald, and “Mack the Knife” by Louis Armstrong. It was great to see his brilliant mind focus on all the instruments and voices and to watch him tap his fingers and stomp his feet as we watched him smile from the immense pleasure that music gave him.
Dad believed in Education: Dad was always acquiring knowledge from books and documentaries. He was still a subscriber of The Economist magazine right up until he was 92! He could discuss world affairs and we would both joke about the two Trudeaus while covering global politics. Dad followed his childhood passion of being fascinated in rocks and took geology at U of Saskatchewan as a young man. When I was a teenager, I saw some of the interesting work he was doing exploring for Oil & Gas and Dad inspired me to also take geology at U of S. When I made decision to go to study in Europe Dad was one of only two people that personally congratulated me on selling everything I had to invest in this education. Dad was an inspiration to all my other 9 siblings and the result was that all 10 of us finished college/university.
Dad showcased what being a decent human being is, and displayed incredible emotional patience when dealing with complex issues. His balance, love, and decency will be bouncing off the galaxies of heaven for eternity.
I love you Dad. Rest in Peace. Love, Scott
Warm greetings to the Wardens and Fawcetts!
Hopefully this is not a duplicate message. I sent one earlier but it appeared to vanish into cyberspace.
Thanks to a thoughtful nudge by Brenda, I spoke with Uncle Al on the phone recently and was struck by just how sharp he was, the generosity of his questions and the humor in our conversation. How very sad to now hear of his struggle with COVID and unexpected death.
I have so many fond memories of hanging out with the Warden/Fawcett gang...staying at Sylvan Lake, food enough for the multitudes and if my memory's correct, learning to waterski there under the patient guidance of Uncle Al and my cousins; getting up on one ski for the first time! One summer in Junior High, with Uncle Al's permission, I cycled from Edmonton to Sylvan Lake on a ten-speed and camped in the back of the cottage (sipping on a warm beer smuggled from home)! I have images of all those family footprints painted onto the dock. They seemed to be a reminder that despite all of our differences, family is still family and something to be cherished.
Whenever I had the opportunity to speak with uncle Al, he appeared to be genuinely interested in how my family and I was doing, and I appreciated his gentleness and inquisitive nature.
Sending warmth and love,
Terry Lindberg and family
I always enjoyed the company of Alan and Bernie at the many dinners we shared. A gentle, gracious man, Alan always had a kind word and a sharp wit. And so smart. My thoughts go out to you.
John Gilchrist
Arlene and I are saddened by the passing of Alan Warden, as we were last year when Alan lost his wife and partner Bernie. The Warden's lead the most friend-inclusive family we have ever known. They were instrumental in leading a Gourmet Group in Toronto and in Calgary, and they took great pleasure in inviting their friends to their 25th wedding anniversary at a venue location few others will ever witness - the ski jump restaurant at Canada Olympic Park, and later to a catered pig roast for Alan's 80 birthday party. Never forgotten, who wouldn't enjoy two weeks in a rented villa in Tuscany with Alan and Bernie, or as their house guests at Windermere.
At work with Mobil Oil, Alan enjoyed his role as a raconteur. God bless a life well lived.
Glen Johnston.
We all know that the 1970’s and 1980’s were times of rapidly changing culture and values. Teenagers of this generation were very different beasts than those that grew up in the 1930’s.
This was no exception in our household as the diverse array of the different personalities and our clashing opinions would always push the boundaries. The fact that we all lived through this and came out unscathed is a major miracle. That miracle is all due to our Dad. He was the stable, rational thinking, “think it through” perspective in our family. He was the calming influence.
He was the fairest person you could ever meet. He was the “Rock” to my Mother’s “Roll”. My Mom may have got a lot of the external credit and recognition for the incredible meals, the social gatherings, the hobbies and the passion in the household. However, during those turbulent teenage years, Dad “was the glue that kept the show together”.
Each of my 9 siblings have plenty of their own unique stories to tell about their relationship with this amazing man. I would like to share a few of my own my experiences that illustrate the kind of love our Dad had for his children.
• Our “Brady Bunch” blended family really came of age and shared some of best memories during the summer at our place on Sylvan Lake, Alberta. We all learned to waterski, canoe, tube and tell “Goat man” stories around the fireplace by the lake. We had an old boathouse above the lake with a long ramp into the water. At the end of the season, the boat would have to be raised up out of the water on a dolly and then pulled into the boathouse along the ramp with a hand-operated turn wheel. This required brute strength. As a young teenager, I watched my Father in awe when he did this. When he was not looking, I tried moving this turn wheel myself, but I could not budge it an inch. I dreamed what it would be like to grow up to be as strong as my Dad and do that myself. Finally, at the age of 18, I was able to do it on my own, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life. In my mind, I had just become a real man!
• At Sylvan Lake one year we had a massive Tent Caterpillar infestation and literally hundreds of thousands of these leaf-munching pests went to town on all the trees in the area. Since “the boys” in our family were smaller in number, we were not allowed to sleep in the cabin that was already packed to the rafters with my sisters. So, we were relegated to the canvas tent outside. Sleeping outside during this invasion enabled us to hear an incessant munching of leaves throughout the night. It was a horrifying cacophony unlike any other. Stephen King would have been inspired. None of us slept a wink.
Our Father had a gentle, almost subtle, way of communicating values and expectations.
• When I was a Calgary Herald Paper Boy at the age of 12, I had to deliver the papers on foot one brutally cold -35C January day in Calgary. My toes were nearly frozen, and I came home after completing only ½ of the route, bawling my head off in pain. Dad, very concerned, came down to my basement bedroom and held my toes in his hands until the pain subsided. He stayed with me the entire time, and never hinted that I should not go back out and finish the paper route. He never suggested that he would do the rest of the papers for me or that he would drive me around in the station wagon in the brutal cold. Without saying a word, I knew what was expected of me and went back in the cold to finish if off. I learned a big lesson that day, without an exchange of words. Clearly wimping out was not an option. That stuck with me.
• Another example was when he was dropping me off for my Driver’s Test on my 16th Birthday. He was leaving me alone at the test center with the car and getting a ride back home in my Mom’s Car. He told me: “If you pass, you can just drive home. If not, I will get Mom to drive me back to pick you up”. Clearly, he was not wanting or expecting me to fail. So, I had no choice but to perform under this added pressure and I passed the test. Which then allowed me to drive home, alone, in a car for the first time of my life. #BestBirthdayPresentEver!
• One of our favourite winter pastimes was skiing. However, with a family of 10 that can get expensive, so most of the kids used hand-me-downs. I was the oldest boy meaning that I was getting girls skiis and boots from my older sisters that did not really fit. Realizing my frustration and seeing the emerging love I was developing for the sport; he decided to splurge and get me a new pair of skiis for my birthday. In a manner that was typical of what he did for all the kids, we gave me a special Birthday card with the poem he had composed:
“Come winter in the mountains, it starts to freeze
But with nothing to ski on at Lake Louise,
What will poor Glenn do then, do then?
On new lightning fast skiis,
He will schuss boom with ease,
That is what Glenn will do then, do then”
It was magic. I will never forget that gift! In fact, when I got those skiis, I actually slept with them in my bed.
• After graduating from the University of Calgary in 1984, I did what many Calgary grads did in those days and started working for a big Oil company (Gulf Oil). My birth Dad was a Geophysicist, Alan was a Geologist. My brother was studying Geology, and most of my other siblings were pursuing professions in various established & traditional careers. So, it made sense that I would go and work for an oil company after graduation. However, at that time I had been “moonlighting” by running this small, fledgling tour business on the side called “Bust Loose Holidays”. It was not really making much money, but I had a gut feeling that it really could be something. My stumbling block was internal: I had no clue if I could make it as an Entrepreneur. Nobody else in my family was an Entrepreneur, so what example or context did I have to think I could be one? Then one day I was presented with an ultimatum by Gulf Oil to move to Winnipeg for a 3-year posting and to stop the moonlighting with Bust Loose! Holidays. Given the ultimatum, I made the decision to quit Gulf Oil and I see if I could make something of Bust Loose.
• When I told my Mom about my decision and that I was worried what Dad would think, she said “Your Dad is not worried about you and where you career will go Glenn. He has every confidence in you”. With that reassurance and blessing from Al, I was off to the races and vowed that I would put everything I had into it to see where I could take it, never second-guessing my decision along the way.
As a Husband
• Alan was the great enabler for my Mother. By supporting the whims and fancies of my Mother, he co-created an extraordinary upbringing for my 7 sisters, 2 brothers and myself. His quiet confidence, levelheaded thinking and loving devotion for Bernie gave her the means by which she could be the dynamo that we all knew and loved her for. Together they travelled the world and shared treasured moments with their many dear friends. They met many fascinating people and accumulated several life-long friends through their adventures and the creation of their monthly “Gourmet Groups” or Theatre Calgary group.
• Together they saw each of their children grow up and mature into adults, a joy they both shared so proudly. Their 50-year marriage was a thing of legends, and Dad was there, mentally & physically, through thick and thin for every day of that marriage. He was right there, by her side, when she passed away last April.
As a Father
• Our Dad was a man with a lot of love for his family. He was always interested in what we were up to in a curious, non-invasive kind of way. Our Dad had a special way of complimenting or thanking each of us, in person, for something we did. I remember when he would say things like “You did a great job cutting the grass, Glenn” or “You did a great job organizing the Houseboating trip, Glenn”. He always had a special way to recognize each of the 10 kids and no one was left out. It made no difference if you were one of his own offspring or a stepchild. We were all equals, and he made sure that the spotlight never rested too long on one person and that it shone on everyone at the right time. “Every dog has their day” he would often say, giving hope to everyone who might be facing their own challenges as they grew up.
• He had a unique way of helping each of us kids when we would be going through a frustrating time. He would always hear us out with whatever issues or problems we were having with school or with life. Then he would focus on the things within our situation that were going the right way and say “You gotta take your wins”. The way he had this positive influence on his kids was amazing.
• I never heard him being overly judgmental of the different friends we had as we grew up or the different boyfriends or girlfriends we may have had in later years. He certainly had his opinions and would share them when asked. But he knew that we would each learn more about ourselves if we discovered these things on our own rather that being told what to do.
• Despite having 10 kids to deal with in the family, he always found a way to connect and acknowledge each of us in his own special way. Somehow, he found time to attend the different activities each us kids were involved in, whether it was sports, dance, drama, or outings. When he was able to attend one of my soccer games, I remember it motivated me to play the best game of my life and I scored a goal that day. In High School he came to watch a Football game and had a keen eye to notice how I “followed the play” or “finished the tackles”. How he found the time to connect to support and connect with each of us, individually, consistently over the years was extraordinary.
As a Person
• When he was not busy enabling our Mother or being supportive to his 10 kids as a Father, Dad managed to squeeze some time in to have some personal interests of his own. He loved Photography and he built a darkroom in our basement to develop the pictures he took. (This was obviously back in the day before digital). My sister Karen and my Dad spent many hours crafting great pictures from that darkroom.
• Dad loved wine and was a keen collector of wine from regions around the world. He would always regale us explaining what the different labels on the various bottles from the different countries meant. One of his passions was to select wines that would be a great match with whatever meal my Mom was crafting up for dinner that night.
• Our Dad loved watching hockey. When there was a good, close game on TV he would become so immersed in it he would forget everything around him and stand up and start pretending he was the goaltender. He blocked the shots and maneouvered into position just as the real goaltender was actually doing so in the game on TV. He would get so worked up and excited by these games that my Mother came by and asked him if he wanted her to get him a stick and some pads. It was priceless to see him get so worked up and excited by these games.
• Our Dad loved Happy Hour with his family on the weekends. This was a time when the pace of the day slowed down, the distractions were turned off, and he “entered the zone” where he genuinely enjoyed catching up with his kids. He loved telling stories and hearing our stories. Similarly, if his friends were over or our friends were over; this was his Golden time that he cherished so much. This was a love that he had for his entire life.
• Our Dad loved Jazz Music playing in the background. Particularly during Happy Hour. He enjoyed listening to Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald performing “Stompin at the Savoy” or Louis Armstrong singing “Jack the knife”.
Because of Dad
• I want to be a better father. I want to be a better husband. I want to be a better brother. I want to be a better friend. I want to be a better person.
• His life-long character and commitment is a role model that many of us today could do well to learn from, to emulate. Particularly in this day and age. He was a great Husband, a caring Father of 10 kids, a kind & loving Grandfather of 22 kids, a Great Grandfather to 6 kids and a dear friend to a special group of friends that remained loyal to him for decades.
I love you Dad.
I am sure you are up there in Heaven with Mom right now helping her organize some big Gourmet dinner or basking in the glow of Happy Hour listening to Jazz with your friends, swapping stories with each other.
Thank you for sharing your life with us during your time down here on Earth and for spreading your warm love and gentle influence.
You are the most incredible man I have ever met.
Love,
Glenn
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