Obituary of Alfred Robert Rallison

On Friday, June 12, 2020 Alfred Rallison of Vermilion and formerly of Calgary passed away at his home with his loving family by his side at the age of 76 years. He will be dearly missed by his adoring wife of 50 years, Lillian Rallison. He will also live on in the hearts and memories of his three children; son Matt (Jenn) Rallison and their children Palmer, Isabel and Sloane; daughter Susan (Rob) McCulley and their children Alex and Eric; and daughter Barb (Warren Cleaver) Davies and their children Elijah Davies, and Finn, Max and Liv Cleaver. He is also survived by his siblings Muriel Ilyankoff, Ella Gower (Joe Herbst), Gloria Rallison, and Charlie (Carolyn) Rallison and his sister in law Laura (Jan) Karlsson and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Alfred and Marjorie Rallison, and his brother George (Elsie) Rallison. Al was born in Turtleford, Saskatchewan and spent his early years on the farm near Cleeves, SK and then moved to Turtleford when he was twelve years old. There, lifelong friends were made. Al always had a twinkle in his eye when he shared stories of the adventures from his childhood. He left Turtleford in 1963, however he and Lillian would return every summer to their beautiful cottage at Turtle Lake. The best of times were had here and his family will forever cherish the memories created. Al graduated from the University of Saskatchewan (Geophysical Engineering) and contributed so much to this world through his professional and personal life. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a devoted member of the St Laurence Anglican Parish in Calgary. Al had a passion and love for life that could be seen and felt by all who knew him. He had a deep admiration for the physical landscape and loved to share his knowledge of geology and geography. He shared his love of nature with all three of his children and will be remembered every time a gentle breeze blows through the trees or a unique rock is found on a walk. Aside from nature, Al also had a love for hockey and played the game competitively for many years and enjoyed playing recreational hockey well into his 60’s. He loved watching Hockey Night in Canada with a good beer and one of his famous homemade pizzas. He also enjoyed playing squash and keeping active hiking, canoeing, and cross country skiing. In 2012, Al was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He handled his diagnosis with grace and dignity. As his physical body failed, he found joy in small things; a good poem, a friendly visit, a funny joke and a daily treat brought a smile to his face. Our family are forever grateful for the support and care he received from Dr. J. Sarna and Eric Tse RN of the Movement Disorder Clinic in Calgary, Vermilion Home Care, Kim Thompson NP and Kathy Beckett and the staff of the Vermilion Continuing Care Centre. Lillian was always by his side in these final years, providing and coordinating ongoing care to ensure his needs were always met. A small private graveside service will be held on June 17, 2020 at the Turtleford Cemetery in Turtleford, Saskatchewan. Donations in memory of Al may be made to Parkinson Association of Alberta.