July 19, 1936 – Russell, Manitoba
July 11, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

It is with sadness that the family of Edward Kleebaum announces his passing on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at the age of 87 years, in Calgary at the Covenant Care (St. Theresa’s Place). The dedicated staff of this care home provided excellent care for Ed over the past five years, for which we are very grateful. We are relieved that his suffering from degenerative disease is over, and that he is now at peace.

Ed was born in Russell, Manitoba on July 19, 1936. He grew up on a farm along with seven siblings. Ed earned his Electronics Technology diploma at SAIT, and his Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta. It was at SAIT that Ed met his future wife, Donna. He worked at the Calgary Board of Education as a teacher and then later returned to SAIT as an instructor. A curious adventurer, Ed took his wife and their two young children to live in Kano, Nigeria on a teaching contract with the Canadian International Development Agency in 1972. Ed was fascinated with the desert, and he travelled across the Sahara Desert with a colleague on a gruelling adventure. Much later, Ed also taught college for a year in Dubai, U.A.E. Both overseas jobs provided the opportunity to travel to different countries and explore exotic places, with family and friends.

Ed finally retired from teaching in 1995, and built a lovely retirement home for himself and Donna in the beautiful mountain town of Kaslo, BC where they lived for 16 years. There, he volunteered as a proud member of the Kaslo Historical Society, helped to build trails with the Kaslo Trailblazers, and also was a guide on the S.S. Moyie paddle wheeler, a floating museum on Kootenay Lake.

When his children were small, Ed volunteered with Scouts Canada, and with the Nancy Greene Ski League in the mountain parks. He was a wonderful father, and his children and grandchildren will remember him as being kind, supportive, patient, playful, and always interested in his kin’s activities and ambitions.

Ed’s favourite pastimes were hiking and exploring, especially on the mountain trails around the west Kootenays. He also enjoyed gardening, tennis, camping, canoeing, curling, reading, and playing cribbage.

Ed is survived by his wife Donna Kleebaum (nee Somers); by his son Tom (Karen) Kleebaum and daughter Lisa Kleebaum; four grandchildren, Rob (Kim), Jenna (Joshua), Annika (Griffin) and Nikolas; and two great-grandchildren, Keely and Morgan. Edward is also survived by his sisters, Eleanor and Lillian, and his brothers Otto and Willy (Mavis); as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families. Ed was predeceased by his parents, Gustav and Olga Kleebaum; sister Isabel, and brothers Lawrence and Herman (Nancy).

In lieu of flowers, we thank you for instead donating to the Red Cross Wildfire Relief Fund or another charity of your choice in Edward’s name.