Lorne Cooley

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 he 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 a wood-burning stove, kerosene lamps, and running water. They built a root cellar, various outbuildings, and a bathhouse 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 Erika, and Steven (Sue); as well as his sister Donna, brother Keith (Mildred), and nieces and nephews. Lorne was predeceased 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

the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.