Lorne Cooley
Sept. 22, 1930 - July 25, 2022
It is with great sadness that we say a final goodbye
to Lorne Elliot Cooley, who passed away with
his wife Carol and two of his sons, Michael and
Steven, by his side.
Lorne was born in Cereal, Alberta to Leonard
and Eva Cooley, and raised in the nearby town
of Chinook during the Dirty Thirties. Later, the
family, including two brothers and a sister, moved to Olds, Alberta, to start a
new business, where Lorne finished his high school years.
Moving to Calgary in the early 1950’s, Lorne found work in Bill Luxton’s garage
before graduating from SAIT in 1958. Upon being immediately hired by Alberta
Government Telephones he was posted to his dream location of Banff to begin
his career as a telephone service technician, where he worked throughout the
entire Bow Valley, including Kananaskis and Morley. In 1963, Lorne married
Carol Eliason from Bainbridge Island, Washington. They settled in Banff where
they raised a family, volunteered, and were of service to many elderly members
of the community. One of the last projects of Lorne’s career was participating
in the installation of a cutting-edge fibre optic system in the Bow Valley in
preparation for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Lorne retired early from Telus in
1987 in order to focus on new adventures.
Following his retirement, Lorne and Carol bought an undeveloped acreage in the
Columbia Valley, BC, and shared their dream of seasonal off-grid homesteading
at ‘4 Achers,’ returning to Banff each fall. They built a large log cabin on the
acreage, complete with wood-burning stove, kerosene lamps, and running
water. They also built a root cellar, various outbuildings, and a bath house with
a wood-fired water heater for the cast iron clawfoot bathtub. With the intention
of living off the land as much as possible they cleared land for gardens and
orchards which produced an annual bounty of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
They readily shared their abundance with many friends in the Banff community
who stopped by their ‘little slice of heaven’ over the years.
After 32 years spent living their dream, and deserving a well-earned rest, they
sold their beloved ‘4 Achers’ in late 2020 and returned to live full time in Banff.
Lorne is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Carol; sons David, Michael
(Tina) and their children Kirk and Erica, and Steven (Sue); as well as his sister
Donna, brother Keith (Mildred), and nieces and nephews. Lorne was pre-
deceased by his parents and his brother Ray (Pauline).
Many heartfelt thanks, hugs and appreciation to the nurses, doctors, and staff of
Banff Mineral Springs Hospital who took such good care of Lorne during his
many stays there in ‘Lorne’s Lounge’.
At Lorne’s request there will be no funeral or memorial service. In lieu of flowers,
donations in his memory may be made to Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.
