Nick KENNEY

Obituary of Nick KENNEY

September 21, 1929 – Smoky Lake, Alberta

September 18, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Nick Kenney of Calgary, AB, on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at the age of 91 years. He was just three days shy of his 92 birthday.

 

Nick was born in Smoky Lake, AB on September 21, 1929, to a large family of fourteen children. As a young man, Nick worked in the family hotel business and even taught in a one room schoolhouse. In 1960 he founded Stork Diaper Service with his brothers and built it into a thriving business in Calgary. He was a man of deep faith and a regular member of the congregation at the First Alliance Church. He loved sports and particularly enjoyed watching his grandsons play hockey, lacrosse and baseball. He always ended each game with a firm well-done handshake that concealed a Werther’s candy for the deserving player. He looked forward to summer holidays in the Okanagan with his family. Upon retirement, he enjoyed golfing at the Priddis Greens Golf Course where he regularly shot his age into his seventies. In the winter, he and his wife Anne would travel to Scottsdale and Parksville. They enjoyed traveling with friends to other parts of the world as well. His family will fondly remember him sitting at the head of the Boxing Day smorgasbord table, doling out the aquavit and giving a hearty “skol!” to the table. He had a great sense of humour. He was the best teller of stories and jokes, drawing everyone in as he half-told, half-acted out his tale, often wheezing with laughter at his own words. He had no problem with donning a funny hat or clown nose or getting down on the floor to entertain his grandkids. Any type of slap stick humour often caused him to laugh so hard, it brought tears to his eyes.  He was a sweet, kind and gentle man who was comfortable with talking to anyone about anything, including in front of large groups of people. No one felt like a stranger in his presence, and he always made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. If you knew Nick, then you knew you had a genuine friend. Most important though is the love Nick had for the people in his life; especially his immediate family of which he was so proud.  In his last days, we knew that there were many things he would have wanted to say to all of us, but he didn’t have to, because we knew in our hearts what those words were.

 

Besides his loving wife Anne, of sixty-one years, Nick is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and Steve Gowda and Susan and Brent Kinnie. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren and their spouses, Kirsten (Ken) Chmela, Alex Gowda (Ainsley Vettese), Nick (Taylor) Kinnie, Nathan (Brooklyn) Kinnie and Sam Kinnie; and his great-granddaughters, Penelope and Olivia Chmela. Nick’s family also eagerly awaits the arrival of a great-grandson, due in early October. Nick is also survived by his brother Bob (Donna) Kinasewich of Edmonton.

 

A Private Family Service will be held.  If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to The Alzheimer Society of Calgary, 800, 7015 Macleod Trail S.W., Calgary, AB  T2H 2K6, Telephone: (403)290-0110, www.alzheimercalgary.com. The family would like to thank the caregivers and other staff at Age Care Midnapore for the compassion and care shown to Nick and our family while he lived there during the past three years. 

 

In living memory of Nick Kenney, 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.



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