Obituary for Malcolm Ewen McLeod
Malcolm (Mac) McLeod
July 26, 1929 – December 10, 2018
Malcolm Ewen McLeod passed away peacefully at the age of 89 on December 10, 2018. Born in 1929 in Edmonton to Malcolm and Edith McLeod, Mac was part of a long line of “Malcolm McLeods” and second of two boys. Throughout their lives, he and his brother, Bill, remained good friends and shared a common passion for trains.
Mac’s first formative years were during the dirty thirties. When he was 17, Mac discovered amateur radio, which became his lifelong hobby. Until well into his 80’s, he would be in his “Ham Shack” communicating with other ham radio operators around the world. Even though we heard only static from his radios, Mac knew exactly what was being transmitted. He would be so thrilled when he contacted another operator on a remote island.
Mac attended school in Edmonton and was a basketball nut throughout high school and college. While at University of Alberta, he joined the fraternity Lamba Chi Alpha, where he formed great friendships. He obtained a science degree in geology and went to work as all graduates do - starting in the office. He eventually decided the office was not for him and began to work as a well sitting geologist. He worked at well sites all over Alberta, BC, the Territories, the Yukon and even a short stint in Guyana, South America for Chevron.
In 1954, during a well sitting job, Mac met Mary Wrightson in Innisfail. Back then, geologists had to submit their drilling reports at the AGT switchboard where a phone was situated. Mac fell in love with the pretty phone operator and they married a year later. After a job transfer to Regina, Saskatchewan, their son, Malcolm Charles Robert was born two years later.
Even though Mac studied and spent his career as a geologist, we think he was actually a carpenter in the guise of a scientist. Mac built or designed three houses - one in Glamorgan, two on Saltspring Island and 2 cabins west of Calgary near the Ghost river. He designed the house in Glamorgan , then sold the house design to the builders and so there are now copies of his split level throughout southwest Calgary. With the help of his longtime friend, John Cartwright, he built a cabin on property that would later become known simply as “The Ghost”. He then built a house on Saltspring Island, where Mary’s parents had retired, and he and Mary lived there from 1977 to 1981. For many years after, he wanted to return to Saltspring.
Mac’s happiest time was spent at the Ghost, where he had now built a second cabin apart from the Cartwrights. Nothing against the Cartwrights, but there are a lot of them. John Cartwright and Mac were two peas in a pod. Both worked hard hauling water and gravel and cutting wood. Then it was happy hour, which could occur anytime. Great discussion by the fireplace often started mid-afternoon and went on for hours. At the Ghost with lots of space, Mac could erect antennae towers and string wires to his heart’s content. He loved it there, hauling water from the stream, splitting cords of wood, feeding birds and squirrels on his deck, and plowing the road, all of which he did well into his late 70’s.
Mac and Mary divorced in the early 80’s, and Mac remarried in 1989 to Janet (Joey) Carlson. During Mac and Joey’s years of marriage, Mac renovated their townhouse, operated his radios in his basement ham shack, and enjoyed the company of their cats and Joey’s extended family.
When he could no longer look after the Ghost, Mac moved to Cochrane, where he installed a radio tower that raised and lowered, and strung wire antennas to the garage and even into the ground. Although his body remained strong, sadly his memory began to fail. In his last years, Mac moved to Calgary and received wonderful care, first at the Edgemont and then at the Colonel Belcher. We will forever be grateful to the hardworking staff who looked after Mac so kindly during his remaining years, which admittedly were hard on him due to memory loss.
Mac is survived by his son, Malcolm Charles Robert (Rob) McLeod and Rob’s wife, Jo-Anne Bund, his grandson, Malcolm Douglas Paul McLeod and several nieces and nephews. Through this long line of “Malcolm McLeods”, Mac’s legacy and positive influence lives on.
A Celebration of Mac’s Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at Choice Memorial at 105, 4715-13 St NE, Calgary. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer Society of Calgary or a charity of your choice.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Mac, please visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services (403) 277-7343.
July 26, 1929 – December 10, 2018
Malcolm Ewen McLeod passed away peacefully at the age of 89 on December 10, 2018. Born in 1929 in Edmonton to Malcolm and Edith McLeod, Mac was part of a long line of “Malcolm McLeods” and second of two boys. Throughout their lives, he and his brother, Bill, remained good friends and shared a common passion for trains.
Mac’s first formative years were during the dirty thirties. When he was 17, Mac discovered amateur radio, which became his lifelong hobby. Until well into his 80’s, he would be in his “Ham Shack” communicating with other ham radio operators around the world. Even though we heard only static from his radios, Mac knew exactly what was being transmitted. He would be so thrilled when he contacted another operator on a remote island.
Mac attended school in Edmonton and was a basketball nut throughout high school and college. While at University of Alberta, he joined the fraternity Lamba Chi Alpha, where he formed great friendships. He obtained a science degree in geology and went to work as all graduates do - starting in the office. He eventually decided the office was not for him and began to work as a well sitting geologist. He worked at well sites all over Alberta, BC, the Territories, the Yukon and even a short stint in Guyana, South America for Chevron.
In 1954, during a well sitting job, Mac met Mary Wrightson in Innisfail. Back then, geologists had to submit their drilling reports at the AGT switchboard where a phone was situated. Mac fell in love with the pretty phone operator and they married a year later. After a job transfer to Regina, Saskatchewan, their son, Malcolm Charles Robert was born two years later.
Even though Mac studied and spent his career as a geologist, we think he was actually a carpenter in the guise of a scientist. Mac built or designed three houses - one in Glamorgan, two on Saltspring Island and 2 cabins west of Calgary near the Ghost river. He designed the house in Glamorgan , then sold the house design to the builders and so there are now copies of his split level throughout southwest Calgary. With the help of his longtime friend, John Cartwright, he built a cabin on property that would later become known simply as “The Ghost”. He then built a house on Saltspring Island, where Mary’s parents had retired, and he and Mary lived there from 1977 to 1981. For many years after, he wanted to return to Saltspring.
Mac’s happiest time was spent at the Ghost, where he had now built a second cabin apart from the Cartwrights. Nothing against the Cartwrights, but there are a lot of them. John Cartwright and Mac were two peas in a pod. Both worked hard hauling water and gravel and cutting wood. Then it was happy hour, which could occur anytime. Great discussion by the fireplace often started mid-afternoon and went on for hours. At the Ghost with lots of space, Mac could erect antennae towers and string wires to his heart’s content. He loved it there, hauling water from the stream, splitting cords of wood, feeding birds and squirrels on his deck, and plowing the road, all of which he did well into his late 70’s.
Mac and Mary divorced in the early 80’s, and Mac remarried in 1989 to Janet (Joey) Carlson. During Mac and Joey’s years of marriage, Mac renovated their townhouse, operated his radios in his basement ham shack, and enjoyed the company of their cats and Joey’s extended family.
When he could no longer look after the Ghost, Mac moved to Cochrane, where he installed a radio tower that raised and lowered, and strung wire antennas to the garage and even into the ground. Although his body remained strong, sadly his memory began to fail. In his last years, Mac moved to Calgary and received wonderful care, first at the Edgemont and then at the Colonel Belcher. We will forever be grateful to the hardworking staff who looked after Mac so kindly during his remaining years, which admittedly were hard on him due to memory loss.
Mac is survived by his son, Malcolm Charles Robert (Rob) McLeod and Rob’s wife, Jo-Anne Bund, his grandson, Malcolm Douglas Paul McLeod and several nieces and nephews. Through this long line of “Malcolm McLeods”, Mac’s legacy and positive influence lives on.
A Celebration of Mac’s Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at Choice Memorial at 105, 4715-13 St NE, Calgary. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer Society of Calgary or a charity of your choice.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Mac, please visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services (403) 277-7343.