April 12, 1938 – July 3, 2022
On July 3, 2022, Dad went to be with his only true love Heather Popowich who had passed 17 years before.
Fred was born April 12, 1938, in Edmonton, Alberta. He was raised around the Sangudo and Rochfort Bridge area. His dad Harry ran the ferry over the Pembina River at Sangudo. As a young boy, while playing with his brother he fell, and his right arm went into a boiling pot. His dad grabbed his sweater off and he had significant burns on his arm which the doctor's recommended amputation. His father would not, he healed, and he hardly had scarring and was able to use the arm normally.
Fred took his journeyman sheet metal worker at Sait in Calgary. Around this time, he met and married Heather Taylor in July of 1960. Two years later, Sandra was born. They moved from Edmonton to Calgary where Fred worked for Brytex. Cheryl was born shortly after the move. Tom came along in 1967. They all made memories camping and going on holiday to Vancouver Island. The family bought land in the Mayerthorpe Anselmo area around 1977. They made the move back to Edmonton to be closer to their property. In 1980, Fred, Heather, Cheryl, and Tom moved to the property and lived in a 2-room cabin while Fred built Mum’s dream log house using logs from the land. It took a little time, but Fred and Heather finally moved in the fall of 1994. They contemplated moving to Vancouver Island, but they couldn’t take Heather’s dreamhouse, so they stayed.
Fred is survived by his children, Sandra (Lonnie) Killaby, Cheryl (Ron) Brown, and Tom (Jackie) Popowich; grandchildren Crystal (Mike) Hall, Randy (Sara) Rolf, Robyn Atkinson, Jayme Atkinson, Cassandra Killaby, Troy Cormier, Dallas (Nina) Cormier, Brandon (Frederique) Cormier, Damian (Kelly) Brown, Devin Brown, Cassie Brown, Justin Popowich, Cody Popowich, and Blaine Popowich; great-grandchildren Brandon Hall, Tristen Hall, Layne Rolf, Jackson Rolf, Fynn Rolf, Grace Jackson and Vanessa Brown.
Fred always marvelled on his huge family. He was predeceased by his wife Heather in 2005, his parents Harry and Tekla Popowich, his in-laws Leslie Young Taylor and Rachel Taylor. He will be missed by all his kids, grandkids, great grandkids, as well as his sisters Anne Lenko, Mary Litchenwald, brothers George and Wally Popowich.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
