Obituary of Dewey Roland Soper

December 22, 1927 – Wetaskiwin, Alberta

December 23, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dewey Roland “Roly” Soper on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at the age of 96 years. Roland passed away peacefully in his home.

Roly was born on December 22, 1927, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. His early childhood was spent in the Canadian North, including two years on Baffin Island as a toddler, where his father, Dr. J. Dewey Soper, an Arctic explorer and naturalist, conducted historic research and field studies for the Canadian government. These early experiences instilled in Roly a lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors, including fishing, hunting, birdwatching, canoeing, and camping.

The family later moved to Fort Garry, Manitoba, where Roland graduated from high school and attended the University of Manitoba for two years.

Roly inherited his father’s zest for adventure, and his young adulthood was spent travelling across western Canada on freight trains and working as a logger in British Columbia. A talented athlete with a passion for football, he leveraged his stellar play as a running back for the Winnipeg Rods Junior team, making the Edmonton Eskimos professional football team in 1950.

In 1951, despondent when his pro-football career was cut short with injury, Roly enlisted in the infantry as a member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (“PPCLI”). After completing his training, he served as a paratrooper in the First and Third Battalions of the PPCLI in the Korean War, including the battle for ‘Hill 355,’ which saw Canadian forces take their heaviest losses in the conflict.

Following his military service, Roland embarked on a career as an entrepreneur, owning and operating businesses in the insurance, advertising, printing, and food services industries. Roland was active in the Chamber of Commerce, the Ad & Sales Club of Calgary, the Calgary Press Club, and the Writers Guild of Alberta.

In 1955, Roly married Elizabeth “Betty” Soper (nee Neil), following which they had three children, Philip, Elizabeth, and Trent. They remained married until Betty’s death in 1986. A devoted father, Roland watched all his children’s sports and was never prouder than when son Trent, after an exceptional American college career, was chosen as the first draft pick of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1982. He instilled in his children the same love of nature he had learned from his own father. Family vacations invariably involved a canoe, fishing rods, a small holiday camper, and long drives to remote locations throughout western and northern Canada.

Following his retirement, Roly embraced the wanderlust of his youth and embarked on roughly thirty years of travel to over 125 countries. An adventurous traveller, Roland sought out difficult and remote destinations, from the former Yugoslavia at the beginning of the civil war to the steppes of Mongolia. In his late 70s, Roland spent several months backpacking across the African continent. He published dozens of travel articles in various newspapers and magazines describing these adventures.

Roland’s love of writing culminated in the publication of his novel, Sword of Wood, in 1993. The story follows the intertwined lives of soldiers during the Second World War, the Korean War, and in peacetime.

His adventurous spirit was also expressed in his love of skydiving, began as a young soldier, and reignited later in life. Into his 70s, Roly could be found hang gliding, paragliding, and scuba diving, adventures he frequently shared with his children.

Roly was a devoted grandfather and enjoyed nothing more than to spend time with his grandchildren.

Roly was fortunate to find love again in his later life and married Ivanka Ivanova-Tchervenska in 2012. As his health declined in recent years, Ivanka never left his side and provided unwavering care, support, and love.

Roly’s military service was a defining experience in his life, and he remained devoted to veteran’s advocacy and volunteer service well into his 90s, including serving as Prairie Region president of the Korea Veteran’s Association (“KVA”). He also served for two decades in national KVA leadership roles, including Public Relations Officer, Communications Director, and Webmaster. Roland was the recipient of the KVA’s highest honour, the Distinguished Service Star.

Roly was a long-time member of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association, Airborne Regiment Association of Canada, and the Royal Canadian Legion, where he volunteered for the Calgary Poppy Fund. Roland was also a member of the Dominion Institute's Memory Project and was a member of the Honourable Guard of Calgary's Military Museum. Through the Museum's Outreach Program, he addressed nearly 20,000 students over the years and was presented with the Museum’s Award of Merit in 2003 in recognition of his contribution.

Roland was also awarded the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his tireless work on behalf of veterans.

Roly is survived by his wife, Ivanka Ivanova-Tchervenska, son, Philip Soper (Melanie Yach), daughter Elizabeth Soper (Clive MacKay), and six grandchildren. Roland is also survived by his sister, Mary Lou Austdal. He was predeceased by his wife, Betty Soper, and his son, Trent Soper.

A Memorial Service will be held at McInnis & Holloway’s Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, Alberta at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2024.

If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made in Roland’s name directly to the Veterans Transition Network https://vtncanada.org/donate/.

In living memory of Dewey Soper, 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.