Obituary of Patrick Alexander Kelman

November 12, 1934 – Brandon, Manitoba
February 23, 2023 – Didsbury, Alberta

Patrick Kelman (Pat) passed away peacefully in Didsbury, AB, with his three children by his side on Thursday, February 23, 2023, at the age of 88 years.

Predeceased by his loving wife, Molly, in January 2021, Pat remained in the home they built together until the Fall of 2022. At this time, he moved to Alberta to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

Pat was born in the Brandon General Hospital on November 12, 1934, and was taken home to the Brandon Experimental Farm, where his mother, May, was a homemaker and his father, Alec, worked as the Head Herdsman. He grew up loving the outdoors, animals, hiking, hunting, swimming and all things nature. 

Pat attended Park, Earl Oxford and Brandon Collegiate Institute schools. In the summer of 1951, he went to work for Brandon Packers, which eventually became Burns Meats, where he was employed until the plant closed in 1990. 

Pat married Molly Imlach in September 1956. They started their family with Mark arriving in 1958, Angela in 1964, and lastly Melissa in 1966. Together Pat and Molly built the family cabin at Thomas Lake in 1968, and their forever home on 6th Street in 1974. 

Pat loved to golf on weekends and spent 40 years bowling in the Major Men’s League. He enjoyed bantering with his friends at the A&W “coffee club” for many years. He loved canoeing down the Assiniboine River with Molly and the grandkids, sailing on Thomas Lake, cross-country skiing in the Brandon hills, ski-doing at Curran Park, swimming in Hawaii, and hiking along the Little Saskatchewan River. 

Upon his early retirement, he helped Molly in her family daycare, where the kids affectionately called him “Uncle Pat”. He loved puttering in his garage and outbuildings where he kept all his “treasures”, helping Molly in her garden and playing cards with his family and friends. He was a shrewd card player with a “wait as long as possible to lay down” style, garnering him some names from Molly that can’t be repeated in public.

Pat loved strawberry sundaes from DQ, Molly’s pies and all things sweet and salty. He loved to visit his kids and grandkids, and brother Don and family. Over the years, he and Molly would travel thousands of kilometres to see them all. The grandkids all adored their grandpa and his up-for-anything attitude, especially on waterslides and high-tower diving. They would laugh at how he saved his money with glee, was obsessed with watching the weather channel, how he faithfully tracked his gas mileage, and enjoyed his particular dishwasher stacking sequence. We can now proudly disclose that he was often published in the Brandon Sun’s “Sound Off” column with all of us receiving a newspaper clipping in the mail after it was published. He may have seemed a bit crusty on occasion, but those of us who truly knew him appreciated his intelligence, quick wit and big heart. Pat always made time to help others, especially friends, family and his elderly neighbours.

Above all, Pat loved Molly. He would laugh at her dirty jokes no matter how many times he heard her tell them. They built a life, travelled, loved going to the casinos and visiting their family together for 70 years. He missed her terribly for the last two years of his life and we take comfort in knowing they are together again. 

Pat is survived by his son Mark (Kathy); daughters, Angela (Doug), and Melissa (Rob); grandchildren, Sarah (Darren), Matt (Holly), Alex, Mark, and Carson; and great-grandchildren, Lincoln, and Freya; as well as his brother Don (Cindy) of Marshfield, WI; and many nieces and nephews. 

At Pat’s request, there will be no public service. Pat and Molly’s urns will be placed together in their columbarium at the Brandon Cemetery at a later date. The family would like to thank Corinne Montroy, Hazel Siebrecht and Volker Donnerstag for their kindness towards and care of our Dad since Mom’s passing. 

If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made directly to the Brandon Regional Health Centre Palliative Unit, 150 McTavish Avenue E. Brandon MB R7A 2B3, brhcfoundation.ca, 204 578-4227. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Patrick Alexander Kelman, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Airdrie, 300 Towerlane Drive, Airdrie, AB T4B 3L8, Telephone: 403-948-1100.