Obituary of Dirk ALTING

September 18, 1938 – Oud-Beijerland, Netherlands
December 18, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Dirk Alting, beloved husband of Marilyn Kish of Calgary, AB, went to be with his Lord on Friday, December 18, 2020 at the age of 82 years.

Born into a baker’s family; Dirk grew up during the war years. As the youngest son he was expected to take over his father’s business, so he took his baker’s training and business training but decided he would rather farm. After two years of working for a farmer in the Netherlands, he convinced his family that he wanted to immigrate to Canada. This he did in 1960, and ended up on his Uncle Jacob Oudman’s farm near Taber, AB, where he worked for the required year. 

He married Pearl in 1961, and after deciding farming really wasn’t his calling, returned to baking. Victoria bakery on Yates St.in Victoria, and Cedar Grove bakery in Sooke were his establishments. 

While in Victoria, he supplied the Empress Hotel with baked goods for about five years. Also while in Victoria, he developed a frozen dough product that was fantastic. However there were some reversals, the bakery location was bought out by Telus, and they moved to Sooke in 1973. There he not only built up the baking business, but supervised the building of their beautiful home on French road.

They retired early and moved to Lethbridge in 1993, and four years later to Taber.  At their home in Taber he developed the backyard into a park.  He loved traveling, reading history, writing theological articles, and doing cross-stich. In 2004, they moved into a condo in Taber. In 2014 he published his memoirs, which make for a very interesting read. After a prolonged bout of cancer, Pearl died in 2015.

Dirk found an online dating site and discovered Marilyn’s profile. They discovered their birthdays were the same day. They met for the first time on September 28, 2015, were engaged on December 28, 2015 and were married on March 26,2016.

They were blessed to be able to travel extensively until February 2020.  Unfortunately, when Covid hit our world, chronic illness hit Dirk, and plagued him the rest of the year.

Having never had children, Dirk became an instant step-father to Marilyn’s two sons and their wives; instant step-grandfather to Marilyn’s six grandchildren, and instant step-great grandfather to Matthew and Joy’s three children.

Besides his loving wife Marilyn, Dirk is survived by his sister, Hilda (Barry) deBoer, and  brother Herman Alting, sister-in-law Coby Alting-Quist, all from the Netherlands, sisters-in-law, Tina Bouwsema of Lethbridge, Betty Oudman; and brother-in-law Albert Donkerbroek of Taber.

Dirk is also survived by Marilyn’s sons, Brad (Derrien) Kish, of Waterloo, Ontario, and Scott (Vanessa) Kish of Dauphin, Manitoba; step-grandsons, Mathew (Joy), Evan, Jason, Alex; step-granddaughters, Nicola and Megan; and there are also many nieces and nephews who remember Uncle Dirk. Some of them worked for him in his bakeries. We will all miss Dirk. 

A Memorial Service will be held at Peace Lutheran Church (14640 6 St SW, Calgary, AB) on Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Dirk’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.  If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to OneBook, 4441 76 Avenue S.E., Calgary, AB T2C 2G8 or to Teen Challenge Alberta Men’s Center, PO Box 24010 RPO Evergreen, Calgary, AB T2Y 0J9.

In living memory of Dirk Alting, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.

There are no events scheduled at this time but we hope to have one as soon as COVID rules relax. Support can be shown by posting messages.