Ronald Schmalz

Ronald Albert Schmalz was born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan on February 11, 1932 to Adolf and Alice Schmalz who were immigrants from Volhynia near Poland. Ron was the second oldest of four children, a brother to Edith, Bernice and Ed. At the age of five, Ron moved with his family to Bridesville, B.C. to a farm close to the U.S. border. He particularly enjoyed working with horses. One of his fondest memories as a youngster was playing with his pet pig.

In 1943, when his parents divorced, Ron lived with his dad. Together they worked as farm hands on orchards in the Osoyoos, Summerland and Kelowna areas. After he finished high school in 1950, Ron and his dad moved to Vancouver.

In 1952 he came out to Calgary with some friends to live. While attending a Torry Johnson Crusade, he became a Christian. Later in Calgary he worked on projects at the Jubilee Auditorium, the North Hill Shopping Centre, the Coke Plant and the Lynn Ridge Imperial Oil Refinery. In 1962 he began a one-month journeyman position with the Calgary School Board, a job that turned into 32 years of work until his retirement in 1994.

In 1960 Ron married Mary McLean who would become his wife of 53 years. During 1962 to 1965, they had three sons born to them - Paul, Mark and David. During the years the boys were growing up, Ron and Mary took many wonderful family vacations to locations in Canada and the States.

Ron worked at the canteen at the YMCA, the Capitol Hill and Triwood Community Associations. He was involved in his church as an usher. He enjoyed reading the newspaper every day and keeping his lawn in impeccable condition. Ron was a quiet man with a life of routine. In his retirement he did building and maintenance jobs with his children. He was a humble person who could forgive and forget. The cancer that took his life could have been prevented yet he never complained and was not bitter. He made a point of often telling his children and grandchildren that he loved them.

In his memoirs Ron expressed wonder about how God kept him safe through so many dangers. When he was young he accidentally ingested strychnine. (He thought it was icing sugar!) As a teen and young man, he had many close calls while on horses, motorcycles and in cars. In 2002, he overcame stage four lymphoma cancer. Recently, he faced mesothelioma, a lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He is now safely in the arms of Jesus.

A Celebration of Ron’s Life will be held at First Church of the Nazarene, 65 Richard Way S.W., Calgary on Friday, September 13 at 11:00 am.

Memorial donations in Ron’s name may be made to World Vision Canada, 1 World Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2Y4.