Obituary Overview
Lawrence Edward Kiel
On November 25, 2018, the world lost a wonderful, kind, thoughtful and caring soul. Lawrence Edward Kiel – Larry, as everyone knew him – was truly one-of-a-kind. Over his 91 years, he touched countless lives, making friends and family smile, laugh, and appreciate all that life has to offer. Larry will be missed by his niece and nephew, Lori Kiel (Mark Hughes) and Darwin Kiel (Aine Plant), their children, Aislinn Kiel, Aidan Kiel and Alexander Hughes, and many cousins and their families, both in Alberta and in California.
Larry was born to Martha and Edward Kiel on March 9, 1927 in Edmonton, Alberta, joining sister Frieda and brothers Herbert and Arthur. He grew up in the west-end of Edmonton where he graduated from McDougall High School. After two years working for Imperial Bank of Canada, including two years in Lethbridge, Larry joined Interprovincial Pipeline. His thirty-seven year career at IPL spanned many roles of increasing responsibility. But the position he cherished most was being Santa at the annual IPL Christmas Party.
Throughout his working life, Larry was actively involved in curling, Walterdale Theater, racquetball, and fishing trips. His social calendar was always full to the brim. Larry formed deep and lasting relationships with his colleagues and friends from IPL, with whom he continued to meet socially on a regular basis up to his recent illness.
Unlike most people who start to slow-down when they retire, Larry did the opposite, shifting to high gear as he travelled the world. His travels began with a trip to England and France in 1991, followed by trips to every corner of the globe over the following ten years including China, Brazil, Peru, Columbia, Iceland, Greenland, Easter Island and Egypt.
Travel added to his long list of friends, mainly due to his gregarious nature. When Larry made a friendship, it was for life! He cared about, and nurtured, each and every relationship, always remembering to send a card and make a phone call to celebrate a birthday, and always being willing to give someone a lift to the airport. Friends and family would look forward to his annual Christmas letter, to learn about the new and exciting things he had been up to during the year. Larry was to friends and family – as he was to his roses and orchids – caring, attentive and loving. He showed that when you plant seeds of friendship throughout your life, they grow into a splendid garden. How many people get over 90 phone calls on their 90th birthday from all around the world? Only those few who invest in people the way that Larry did throughout his life.
Larry will be deeply missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know him, remembered fondly with a smile.
Please join Larry’s family in a celebration of his remarkable life, to share stories and memories, on Friday, December 21, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at Westlawn Funeral Home, 16310 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton. If you are unable to attend, you are invited to send your recollections and stories to kiel.memorial@gmail.com. Larry’s family is hoping to honour his memory with a commemorative bench. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to contribute to this commemoration are welcome to send an email to express their interest.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lawrence Edward Kiel 2018..
Source: South Side Memorial Chapel
Death notice for the town of: Edmonton, Province: Alberta