Obituary of Karl Heinrich Gall

September 21, 1929 – Bayreuth, Germany

August 27, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of a remarkable man, father, grandfather, and friend. Karl Gall built a beautiful life over the course of 93 years, and will forever be remembered as a gentle, strong, and kind soul.

Karl is survived by his two daughters, Jennifer (Cyrille) and Helen (Greg), and grandchildren, Cody, Krista, Keisha, Stefan, and Jay. Karl was predeceased by his loving wife Linda and his sister Paula and nephew Dieter.

Karl leaves behind a legacy filled with adventure. Born to a soldier, his early years were marked by World War I and II. He came to Canada after seeing an advertisement in Germany seeking farmer workers, which became his ticket to a new life. Arriving in Canada, he worked numerous jobs, from pig farming in Saskatchewan to plumbing and heating in Calgary. Through his Canadian adventures, he started to feel loneliness set in and wrote to his sister back in Germany looking for a pen pal. Through correspondence, he met Sieglinde (Linda) Gall, returning to Germany to marry her in 1956 and bringing her back to Canada.

Together, Linda and Karl built a beautiful life in Canada. Side-by-side, they filled their years with reading, music, old TV shows, camping in Marble Canyon and building a family together.

Karl was always a man with many interests and hobbies—from sailing in homemade boats (he made seven over his lifetime!) to fixing up old cars. In fact, he kept a list of all the cars they owned together, tallying 33 in total. Until his final days, he was an avid reader, sharing updates on his favourite Kindle books with his daughters and grandchildren. He was incredibly tech-savvy (even in his 90s), often surprising his family by how adept he was at navigating the latest gadget and platform, whether it be the iPad, e-readers, Instagram, or his Apple Watch. Every second night, Karl could be found FaceTiming with his good friend Lois, sharing laughs and stories about their lives, families and past.

He was admired for his dedication to health—exercising daily in his home gym, with a 30-minute circuit of six machines. He believed that the elixir for longevity included a good German sausage, a stein of beer and a slice of Linda’s lemon loaf.

When Linda’s health took a turn in their later years, Karl’s mission became clear; to make her life as comfortable as possible. He cared for her until her final days, and their love for each other was truly an inspiration to anyone who had the privilege of witnessing it. Married for 59 years, he often remarked to his children, “I could not have found a better wife, and you a better mother.”

It is often said that a man’s worth is measured by the lives he touched. By that account, he was beyond wealthy, and he leaves us all richer for having known him.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Karl’s family here.

In living memory of Karl Gall, 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