Obituary of Kevin Neil Anderson

It is with unimaginable sadness that the family of Kevin Neil Anderson announce his peaceful passing on April 4, 2009, at the age of 52 years, after a long and incredibly brave battle with brain cancer. Kevin will forever live in the heart of his wife, best friend and soul mate, Cyndi Eyjolfsson; his loving sons, Kyle and Brett; sister Debbie (Shin) Sugiyama, Jeni and Joshua; brother Greg (Brenda) Anderson, Scott and Mark, as well as extended family. Kevin was predeceased by his father, Henry Auby Anderson, and mother Lila Anderson. Kevin’s many friends and business colleagues also mourn the loss of this incredible man. Kevin was born and raised in Calgary and attended Crescent Heights High School where he loved and excelled at most sports. Fastball was an early passion and Kevin was Co-Captain of the Renfrew Roadrunners. He also fell in love with golf at an early age and honed his skill playing many games as a junior at the Elks. In fact, it was golf that brought Cyndi and Kevin into each others lives and after only a few rounds together, they realized they had each found their soul mate. Kevin and Cyndi shared a wonderful loving life and their many adventures produced a treasure of cherished memories that will never fade. Kevin was also a selfless and devoted family man who cared and loved his sons Kyle and Brett unconditionally. His pride in his sons grew as they grew and became more established, and he was always happy to share stories about his boys to anyone who would listen. After graduation from SAIT Technical Engineering, Kevin embarked on the beginning of a very successful career joining Western Research, an oil and gas instrumentation company, in 1977. In 1989 the company restructured as Bovar Western Research and then in 1998, was acquired by AMETEK Inc., at which time Kevin was appointed Director of Operations for AMETEK Canada. A respected and admired leader, Kevin met challenges head on and was known for his ingenious ideas. Always making time for people, Kevin provided encouragement, support, and inspiration to all and under his guidance and vision, the company achieved record successes. Kevin was a mentor who touched many with his willingness to help others and he will forever be remembered by his many friends and co-workers at the AMETEK/Western Research family. Kevin was a man who valued honor and integrity, both in himself and others. Those who had the privilege of knowing him knew a man of character, strength, and significant insight and layers. With Kevin, what you saw was what you got. He possessed tenacity, a never ending positive attitude, as well as an enviable ability to draw people in. His good nature enabled him to live his life with an open heart and mind, and he never lost his sense of hope even in the most dire of circumstances. Kevin will perhaps best be remembered for his inimitable sense of humour and ability to make others smile. Kevin loved the Invermere Valley area. He fancied himself an unofficial tour guide and never hesitated to share his knowledge of where the best fishing holes were, which back roads actually led somewhere, as well as various tidbits of valley facts and history. Of all the golf courses in the valley, Fairmont Mountainside remained his favorite. Probably because he had analyzed all the slopes and always seemed to instinctively be able to find an out of bounds golf ball, usually someone else’s. And over the past 30 years of visiting the valley, Kevin enjoyed many fun filled gatherings with friends and family, numerous rounds of golf, as well as autumn fishing and bonfires at Toby Creek. Kevin was also a handyman extraordinaire. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t or didn’t, take apart, fix and then reassemble and he never hesitated to offer his help to anyone either building or deconstructing something. Kevin’s home was his pride and joy as it reflected his many hours of engineering and renovations. He also lovingly tended his yard and enjoyed nothing more than sitting on the deck on a warm summer evening, gazing at his green grass and marveling at his giant spruce trees. Golf was a passion that Kevin and Cyndi shared and over the last few years they were fortunate to have enjoyed several travel and golf getaways. Although Kevin’s illness caused him to struggle some with his game, his ingenuity, adaptability and never give up spirit enabled him not only to continue playing golf, but to carry his clubs and walk the course. The words "can’t do" and “give up” simply did not exist in Kevin’s vocabulary and he carried this positive attitude and determination into the struggle of his life with his illness. Instead of letting it defeat him, Kevin wholly embraced his illness with courage and determination. He viewed it as an opportunity for learning and growth and embarked on his healing journey with a wide open heart and mind. As a result, many new people, experiences and untold gifts were drawn into Kevin’s life and he welcomed them all with wonder, awe and always gratitude. Of particular impact were Jodi and Glenn Gould and we will forever be grateful that you were able to accompany Kev on his journey. Kev’s spirit touched so many people and we are all blessed for having had him in our lives. Our beloved “gentle bear” now wanders along Heaven’s mountainside; strong, proud and finally at peace. Forever loved, forever remembered and forever in our hearts. A Celebration of Kevin’s Life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S, Chapel of the Bells (2720 Centre Street North) on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. Reception to follow. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, memorial tributes can be made directly to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, 301-620 Colborne Street, London, Ontario, N6B 3R9, www.braintumour.ca. The family would also like to thank Dr. Jacob Easaw and all the doctors and nurses at the Tom Baker Cancer Clinic who provided care, kindness and support to Kevin over the years. In living memory of Kev Anderson, a tree will be planted at Fletcher Park, Airdrie by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH Telephone: (403) 276-2296.