Obituary
Francis Thomas McAleer passed away peacefully on Friday, December 17, 2021, at the age of 90. Frank is lovingly remembered by his daughters Donna and Susan, his son John (Karen), his brothers Graham, John (Kathy) and Vincent (Rena), seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was predeceased by his wife, Mildred McAleer, his parents, Henry and Elizabeth McAleer, and his brother Harry McAleer.
Frank was born on January 22, 1931 in Glasgow, Scotland and grew up in Clarkston, just south of the city, as the second oldest of five brothers. He earned his Accounting degree at the University of Glasgow and took the leap to pursue his dreams on the other side of the Atlantic, arriving in Canada in the mid-1950’s.
As a young chartered accountant, Frank joined Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and worked assignments in Saint John and then Dalhousie, New Brunswick before taking a position in Calgary. He was soon hired by a client, Con-Force Products (a precast concrete provider), as Vice-President Finance & Chief Financial Officer. Frank enjoyed a very fulfilling 35-year career in that role which involved several corporate changes including a management buyout. Frank made many good friends at Con-Force and earned the respect of colleagues and counterparties alike for his honest and strategic approach to business before retiring at age 60 in 1991.
It was at Con-Force that Frank met Mildred (Millie) Mullin, an accounting machine operator. Thus began a love story that would last a lifetime and beyond. Frank and Millie were best friends for nearly 65 years and married for 55 years before Millie passed away at age 95 on October 31, 2021. With Frank passing away less than seven weeks later, it’s clear that they were meant to be together in God’s paradise for eternity.
Frank and Millie raised their family in the Lakeview community, where they established many strong friendships and delighted in watching and supporting their children and grandchildren in their sports and other activities. They loved to travel and enjoyed many wonderful trips to Europe to visit Frank’s family and a tour of the Holy Land in 1998. Annual family trips to Kelowna and Hawaii transitioned to retirement winter adventures, with Coronado Island and Palm Springs being favorite destinations.
Frank’s sport was golf. He loved to play it, watch it, teach it and talk about it. Barely out of his teens, Frank won the club championship at the golf club to which he carried his clubs two miles during grade school to play on weekends. While in Dalhousie, his rousing performance in the club championship had the local paper calling him the “Scintillating Scot”. Shortly after his arrival in Calgary, Frank joined a newly forming golf club to the south of the city called Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club. As a member for over 50 years, Frank enjoyed countless rounds with friendships forged on the fairways and greens of “Canyon”.
Frank was a thoughtful and caring soul who loved to bring a smile to the face of a family member or stranger alike through a joke, a compliment or a kind word. Family was everything to Frank, and he was at our side through both our struggles and our victories, however great or small. He lived a full and blessed life and was greatly loved. As his family, we know that he continues to watch over and care for us alongside his beloved Millie.
A Private Funeral Mass will be celebrated by family on December 30, 2021 at Frank and Millie’s home parish of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. A reception for family and friends to celebrate Frank’s life will be held at a later date.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Francis Frank Thomas McAleer January 22 1931 December 17 2021 (age 90)..
Décès pour la Ville: Calgary, Province: Alberta