May 2, 1937 - Oct 4, 2017
Gerald "Jerry" H. Albach of Rimbey, Alberta passed away at the Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre, Area Two on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at the age of 80 years.
The eldest of eight children to Henry and Lily Albach, Jerry was born at home on the farm near Parkside, Saskatchewan.
After receiving his High School Diploma, he very quickly gained employment with Pembina Pipeline in Buck Creek.
It was at the curling rink in Buck Creek where he first set eyes on a pretty, young woman named Priscilla Doyle. (Jerry's version of the story was that she was "hanging off the bumper" and wanting to go for a ride in his new and shiny, red and white 1957 Dodge car). We all know how he liked to tell stories!
A year later they were married on December 23, 1958. Greg was born in October, 1959; and Jody, Terry, and Shauna followed.
Jerry and Priscilla purchased the farm west of Rimbey where he farmed and started Albach Contractors, working on oil leases and highways with his graders and steam trucks. There was also a new house built.
Jerry, Terry, and Greg, along with the help of others, created the trout ponds. It is a peaceful place where family and friends can gather, and camp...and fish.
His dream of building a log "cabin" with a view of the ponds turned into a beautiful log house. Many years of hard work, much of it by Terry, resulted in the home Jerry had dreamed of.
Just a few days before moving in, the log house tragically started on fire and was gone by the next morning. This was heartbreaking to the whole family, but especially Jerry and Terry, and it was felt that this was the beginning of the downturn in Jerry's health.
He resided at the farm for a couple more years until moving into Rimbey Continuing Care in June of 2015, diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
The family cannot express enough how incredibly wonderful the caring staff there were to him, and he was well-liked...even with some of the inventive and colourful words he was so well-known for. He did keep his humour until the end, and had a laugh that will not be forgotten easily.
Jerry and Priscilla created a family full of humour, sometimes a strange humour, but one that keeps them all connected and laughing.
Jerry was a very musical man, he loved to dance and played the guitar, accordion, piano, and had many different keys of harmonicas.
He played hockey starting at the age of 12, and coached for both Greg and Terry's teams. While playing on the Winfield Old Timers hockey team, they travelled to the Maritime Provinces in 1977 and 1978 for tournaments.
Playing a game or two of crib was also something that Jerry enjoyed.
He loved the hunting season, and went with his sons and brother-in-law, John on many hunting trips. It was his favourite time of the year.
His final hunting trips were with his grandson-in-law, Alex Graham in 2014. Sadly, it was to be his last season of adventure.
Jerry worked hard, but also played hard. Anyone who knew him knows that he said what he meant and didn't pussyfoot around. He was a strong and rugged man that didn't have anything handed to him; he was an extremely hard worker.
Even though Jerry had difficulty expressing it, he was proud of his wife, kids, and grandkids, and later in life he did tell them. Family meant everything to him. He had an amazing knack with the little ones. Under the rough exterior he had a very gentle way.
Jerry will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his nurturing wife of almost 59 years, Priscilla; his four loving children: Greg (Cathy) Albach of Rimbey, Jody Albach (Don McAra) of Edmonton, Terry (Tami) Albach of Rimbey, and Shauna Shields also of Rimbey; as well as his twelve cherished grandchildren: Karesa (Alex) Graham, Christie (Mac) Koselek, Emily Albach, Leah Strom, Kayla Strom, Alex Albach, Brittany (Tony) Rondeel, Alannah Albach (fiancee, Colten Bancroft), Jordan Bartsch, Tasha Bartsch, Hunter Shields, and Hayden Shields; and seven special great grandchildren: Owen, Anna, Karson, Allison, Hailey, Grayson, and Lincoln.
He will also be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his brothers and sisters: Sidney Albach (Carolyn Currie), Barb (Gene) Boire, Jim (Jeannine) Albach, Maxine Nicholson, Helen (Howard) Copland, and Patricia Raabis; in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many treasured friends.
Jerry was predeceased by his father, Henry in 1978; his mother, Lily in 1993; and his sister, Lucy and her husband, Andy Olsvik in 2002.
A Public Memorial Service in Celebration of Jerry's Life will be held at the Last West Hall, Rimbey on Friday, October 13, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. with Mrs. Sonja McAlpin presiding. Interment will take place at a later date in the Columbarium at the West Haven Cemetery, Rimbey.
If friends desire, memorial tributes in Jerry's Memory may be made directly to the Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre - Long Term Care, c/o Rimbey Health Services Donations Program, Box 440, Rimbey, Alberta T0C 2J0 (www.rimbeyhealthdonations.com); or to the Rimbey United Church Memorial Fund, Box 7, Rimbey, Alberta T0C 2J0.
Condolences may be expressed by e-mail to: special_reflections@telusplanet.net
Service and Cremation Arrangements for the Late Gerald "Jerry" H. Albach entrusted to the care of OBERHAMMER FUNERAL CHAPELS LTD. Telephone (403) 843-4445