Obituary of Willard Kirk Mealey

May 3, 1997 – Calgary, AB

July 28, 2023 – Kananaskis, AB

Willard ‘Kirk’ Mealey, cherished husband of Emily (nee Mitton), of Calgary, AB, passed away on Friday, July 28, 2023, at the age of 26.

The Mealey and Mitton families would like to thank our family, friends, and church community for the outpouring of love and support as we grieve for our beloved Kirk and the five amazing young men who perished along with him. Thank you for the meals that sustained us, the prayers that are holding us up, and the generosity toward Emily. While we take comfort in knowing that these men are all together in heaven, our hearts are heavy as we come to terms with their absence and reflect on all the ways Kirk and his friends enriched our lives.

Kirk was born on May 3, 1997, in Calgary AB, making Joel an excited big brother. Two years later, Kate arrived, and Kirk loved helping take care of his baby sister. The three siblings bonded together over the years, sharing adventures at the cabin, which was a revolving door of friends and family, all eager to join in the fun. Waterskiing, boating, tubing, swimming, cliff jumping, dirt biking, snowmobiling, hiking; Kirk was a natural athlete and always game for anything. His fascination with all things mechanical began early in life, and he developed the ability to fix a variety of engines. He bought his first car at age 16, a 1984 Nissan 300ZX that he found in a farmer’s field. He went on to restore many other vehicles, learning new skills with each project he tackled.

Kirk went to FFCA from kindergarten to grade 12. He made good friends, embracing the social aspect of school, and did well in Math and Science. During the school year, he loved downhill skiing and snowboarding, long distance running, rugby, and karate. Karate was a family affair and they encouraged one another to complete their black belts.

Kirk was born and raised at the Calgary Free Methodist Church, now known as West Springs. When he was in grade 4, the family moved to Harvest Hills Alliance Church so Joel, Kirk, and Kate could be involved in youth activities closer to home. Kirk and his family had several opportunities to travel to Ensenada, Mexico, where they served alongside other church members from HHAC. Kirk loved working with the children but was also not afraid of manual labor as they fixed houses, built bathrooms, and other projects. A highlight of those trips was being there with Luke and Braydon, adding another layer to their friendship as they shared the love of Jesus through their words and actions.

After graduation, Kirk worked with the youth and continued his involvement in weekly activities and camps until he and Emily were married.

Kirk graduated from high school in 2015 and completed Aircraft Maintenance Engineering from SAIT in 2017. He was a gifted mechanic, repairing and maintaining aircraft for Cavalier Aviation at the Springbank Airport. He lived out his faith at work, described by his co-workers as “a constant source of light and laughter, generous and knowledgeable, resourceful and inspiring, and a calming presence”. He bought his first plane in 2018 at the age of 20.  Flying was his passion and for the next 6 years, he flew all over Canada and the US. On his most memorable trips, he repaired, equipped, and piloted small planes on trans-Atlantic flights from Liverpool to Calgary, with stops in Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and Baffin Island.

While spending summers working and playing at Shuswap Lake, Kirk was part of a youth group from North Shuswap Christian Fellowship, and he was baptized in the lake when he was 17. The youth called themselves the “ShuCrew” and did everything together, and eventually his attention and his heart were captured by Emily Mitton. Their long-distance romance spanned five years, with many trips back and forth between Surrey and Calgary. They enjoyed precious time together at the lake during the summer and holidays. Kirk proposed at Shuswap Lake, and they were married at Talana Bay on August 15, 2020. The wedding they planned was affected by Covid, but that did not stop them from turning the event into a grand adventure on the beach. He said it was perfect because he got to wear shorts and arrive barefoot to the ceremony in a boat. Kirk adored Emily, always doing special things for her, and treating her like his princess; she endeared herself to the whole Mealey family, and “Princess” became a term of affection. Emily describes him as a devoted husband who was 100% confidence and 0% ego. Kirk was excited to be a dad, setting up the nursery with Emily and making plans to teach his son how to drive a boat.

Willard IV Dillon Mealey arrived on August 21, 2023, a perfect gift from God and a source of joy to Emily and the Mealey/Mitton families.

Kirk was a dedicated follower of Jesus and a passionate servant of others. He was a man of integrity, joy, and adventure. He will be remembered for his gentle spirit, unwavering faith, and immense love for Emily and baby Will.

Kirk was a faithful husband of Emily, father of Will, beloved son of Brent and Pat Mealey, loving brother of Joel (Amanda), sister Kate Mealey, and son-in-law of Steve and Loree Mitton.

Kirk will be forever missed by his grandparents, Tom and Velma Mealey, Ornan Huber (Kirk was predeceased by his grandma, Ethel Huber, in January 2023); godparents Chris and Saxon Morgan (Jack and Sophie), the Mealey family, Mark (Sylvia), Austin, Blake (Lizzie), and Hannah, Tanis (Garry), Tanner (Emily) and Valina (Trevor) Vaughan (Jenee), Tom (Taylor, Forrest), Meaghan (Noah), Christian, Cathy, Marco (Chelsea, Nova, Maverick), Rey, Sadie; the Huber family, Allan (Cristina), Morgan (Jordan), Rhys, Nicolas, Dale (Sherry), Scott (Shauna), Stephanie, Deanna (Fred),  and Jim (Naomi).

Kirk’s Celebration of Life will be held at First Alliance Church (12345 40 St SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 4E6) on Saturday, September 30 at 1:00 p.m. Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Kirk’s service at the following link on the day of the service: https://faccalgary.vidflex.tv/en/c/kirk-mealey.45. The password to view the service is FAC-Kirk.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada, https://maf.ca/, or to the Mealey Family GoFundMe would be appreciated.

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39, CSB)

In living memory of Kirk Mealey, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.