KOLLER: Alois Bernhard
December 18, 1936 – November 20, 2021
It is with great sadness that the family of Alois Koller announce that he passed away in Calgary, Alberta on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at the age of 84 years. Alois was born on December 18, 1936 in Oberwil-Lieli, Switzerland to Marie and Ferdinand Koller. He was the fourth of 11 children comprised of nine boys and two girls. Growing up in Switzerland on a small farm during World War II with very little instilled in Alois a strong work ethic, love of family, humility, gratefulness, and respect for others, not to mention becoming an expert in hilling potatoes. After completing grade school, as well as two years of agriculture school, all in Switzerland, Alois worked on various farms including one in Denmark where he learned to light his pipe in the strong North Sea winds. The man could light his pipe in a hurricane. At the age of 20, Alois completed his mandatory five months of training in the Swiss army where he won many medals for being the best marksman. Alois immigrated to Viscount, Saskatchewan in 1960 at the age of 23 as an agriculture exchange student. At the time he only planned to stay in Canada for two years, but quickly fell in love with many people and Canada, although Switzerland always remained very close to his heart.
In 1964 Alois bought the Viscount Flour Mill where he made flour, as well as sold bagged bulk goods, livestock supplies, fertilizer, and liquor. He had many great customers, loved to talk to them, and was very appreciative of them. Alois met the love of his life, Beate (nee Roback) in Humboldt, Saskatchewan in 1964 and got married in 1969. They had two sons, Rob (1970) and Anthony (1972) and raised the family in Viscount. Throughout the various years in Viscount, Alois was a trustee on the Catholic school board, a village councilor, and was active with both the Knights of Columbus and the Elks. In 2001 Alois retired and spent his time with Beate. He loved crop checking, woodworking, and yard work, but most of all he loved visiting with people. In December 2012 Beate passed away.
Alois is survived by his two sons Rob (of Calgary) and his wife Carleen along with their children Andrew (Tabitha), Madison, Sydney, Cassie, and Shea, and Anthony (of Switzerland) and his children Jana and Jamie. Alois was predeceased by his wife Beate and we find peace in knowing that they are together once again. He was also predeceased by his parents Marie and Ferdinand, and some of his brothers in Switzerland.
The Mass of the Christian Burial (Funeral Mass) will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Alphonse Roman Catholic Church in Viscount and he will be laid to rest thereafter with Beate at the St. Alphonse Catholic Cemetery in Viscount. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Viscount St. Alphonse Cemetery Fund.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Alois Koller Saturday November 20th 2021..
fotheringham-mcdougall funeral service
Death notice for the town of: Watrous, Province: Saskatchewan