Albert Edward Pallister

Our father, Albert Edward Pallister was born in Turner Valley Alberta, 30 October 1927 to Guy Pallister, and adventure seeking Yorkshireman and Evelyn May Metchette and equally adventurous Irish lass. Dad was the ninth of thirteen children raised on the Lineham Ranch where his father was the manager. After finishing school, he worked as a surveyor for the Royalite Company in Alberta and Saskatchewan until 1953 when he left behind family and friends to pursue his education. First attending the International Training Centre for Aerial Survey in Delft, Holland and then University College, London where he received a diploma in Photogrammetry.
Dad's first job after graduation was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as an Agricultural Officer (Photogramietrist) Land and Water Use Branch Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Dad lived and worked in Africa for five years and of all his working life, these years were the most memorable; he loved the land and the people and as dementia advanced, it was Africa that he remembered and Africa he wanted to return to. Over the years, many family and friends were regaled with the clip-clop story, the black mamba story and the olive pie story.
It was also in Africa that he met our mother, Angela Rachel Currie (1932-2013); they married in London England in February 1961 and soon afterwards accepted a post in Kabul Afghanistan. Their first child Carey was born in 1962 followed five years later by their son Edward. In 1964, Dad accepted a job at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations headquarters in Rome, Italy where he and remained until his retirement in 1983. Dad travelled extensively over the years assisting developing nations with water and farming issues; Algeria, Poland, Thailand, Vietnam, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Egypt, Kenya, Russia, Peru, Cuba, Rhodesia (Zimbawe), Senegal and Jamaica.
The highlight of living in Europe was our biennial visits to our cabin on Sylvan Lake, Alberta; Dad's 28 year project was a place we could all relax and where Dad could use his amazing woodworking skills including deconstructing a century old log house on the other side of the lake and reconstructing it as a boat house. The summers including visits with his brothers Allan and family and Jack and family and countless hours spent in a full size First Nations tee-pee which he bought to entertain us.
Mum and Dad spent the first 16 years of their retirement in Calgary in a heritage home in Mount Royal and where they formed new and lasting friendships with their neighbours; Don and Jan Cook, Peggy and John Webb, Jim and Helen Thomson, Dorothy and Kevin Murphy. Dogs Hannibal and then Ugo were a huge part of their lives and dog walks with Don and Jan Cook were a weekly event.
In 1999, Mum and Dad moved to Victoria to be closer to grandchildren and better weather. Dad's next project was a cabin on the Cowichan River which he changed from being a dark, very rustic place to a light and inviting cabin where his whimsical wood creations can be seen everywhere from the clothes hangers to the eaves troughs. His constant companion was Rufus, their affectionate Wheaton.
Dad was an intensely private man who was artistic, creative, intelligent, amazing cook, woodworker, lover of dogs and a good argument. He was a husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle but above all he was an adventurer who loved his own company. As dementia started to rob him of the life he enjoyed, he fought it until he could no more.
Dad leaves daughter Carey, son-in-law Larry, granddaughters Emma and Claudia, son Edward and partner Tammy, brothers Stan and Allan and Sisters Daisy and Nora as well as numerous nephews and nieces. We shall miss him every day.