Obituary of Alfred Ernest (Ernie) PALLISTER

ERNIE PALLISTER OC, AOE, B.SC, D.Sc., LL.D, P. Geoph.
October 28, 1927 – Edmonton, Alberta
October 4, 2020 – Westlake Village, California

Ernie passed away peacefully and surrounded with love on October 4, 2020, mere weeks before his 93rd birthday. He is survived by his wife, Janice (née Smithers); his children, Jeff (Vera), Cindy (John) and Kent (Carol); and his stepchildren, David (Jung Mi), Leah (Daniel) and Leslie.  “Pops” will be held forever in the hearts of his grandchildren, Katherine (Sean), Richard (Nancy), Nikki (Brian), Katie, Michael, Rodger, Victoria, Anna, Sydney, Lily, Danny, Taylor, Claire, and Olwyn; and his great-grandson, Malcolm.  He will be missed by his nephew, Ken (Nickie); niece, Lois; and their families. Ernie was predeceased by his wife of 42 years, LaVonne, his sister Doris, and brother-in-law Norman Morgan.

Born in Edmonton in 1927 to Ernest and Beatrice Pallister, Ernie received his B.Sc. in 1948 from the University of Alberta and a diploma from the Banff School of Advanced Management in 1962. Through his work, Ernie helped Albertans and Canadians appreciate and seize this country’s enormous potential. He showed extraordinary foresight not only in recognizing the changing needs of industry, government, and society, but also in meeting them.

Ernie was one of the first Canadians to have conceived of the idea of consortia among government, industry, and academia as a superior means of conducting exploration and research. He initiated interdisciplinary exploration “Quests” for petroleum in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Arctic Ocean in the early 1950s. He continued his interest in the Canadian north, by serving as chairman of the Arctic Institute of North America, and the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories and as vice-chairman of the Inuvialuit Arbitration Board. Ernie was the founding chairman of three centres for collaborative research and development: the Centre for Cold Ocean Resources Engineering (C-CORE) in St. John’s, NL; the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) in Saskatoon, SK; and the Centre for Frontier Engineering Research (C-FER) in Edmonton, AB. During this time, he was an associate of the Devonian Foundation.

President of Pallister Resource Management Ltd., Ernie also served as director of NOVA, Husky Oil, and CanOcean Resources, and others. He was the principal architect of integrating research and technology with business strategy, thereby enhancing competitiveness and growth. He promoted Canadian technology and industry at home and abroad and helped make Canada a significant force in the global arena. Ernie served on numerous boards, committees and councils, providing leadership across a broad spectrum of professional and community organizations. He served as vice-chairman of the Science Council of Canada and the Banff School of Advanced Management; was a designer of the Petroleum Resources Communication Foundation; a director of the Calgary Philharmonic Society; a member of the Federal Task Force on the Canadian Ocean Industry; committee chairman for the Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger; and president of Casa Higuera Inc. in Mexico.  

Ernie was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta and an honourary Doctor of Science from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was given Honorary Life Membership in the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. Ernie was a Life Member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and also received the Alberta Order of Excellence and the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.  

In 1999 Ernie married Janice Smithers, spending 21 years of love and happiness with her as snowbirds, living six months in Alberta and six in California following the warm weather. Taking cruises, skiing, hiking and exploring -- or quietly painting or just sitting in their flowery gardens watching hummingbirds, butterflies and squirrels -- together. Ernie's contribution to Canadian science, research and management was recognized with many honors, but we remember him most as a compassionate friend, patient mentor, and inspirational patriarch who saw the future as full of promise and opportunity, a "Rainbow Quest" for his grandkids.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Church Elbow Park, 3602 8th Street SW. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made directly to YouQuest, a charity close to Ernie's heart, would be appreciated by visiting https://bit.ly/35N1o0N or calling 403-510-5571.  

In living memory of Ernest Pallister, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.