Robert Charles Kaasa

Robert Charles Kaasa

5 March, 1935  -  3 April, 2020 ( 85 years old )

It is with tremendous sadness and sorrow that I announce the passing of Robert Charles Kaasa.

Robert passed away at his home in Mirror, Alberta on the morning of April 3rd, 2020 ( taken by cancer ).

He is predeceased by His Father, Charlie (1976) and Mother, Florence Amy (Plastow) (1994).

He is survived by Lydia; Daughter, Roberta Janelle (Edmonton, Alberta); Son, Stanley Charles (Edmonton, Alberta) and Daughter, Monique; Sisters, Betty Clara (Sherwood, Park Alberta), Ruth Fay (Victoria, British Columbia) and Janelle (Qualicum, British Columbia)

He will also be missed by His Grandchildren, Adam and Nyssa; Great Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends. Including his life long, best friend Stan.

He made and kept so many friends, people were always attracted to him, it was his kindness, personality and humor that drew people to him and it was these traits that also attached people to him... and it was these traits he inherited from his mother, who was an incredible woman.

He was cherished by so many, he loved people. He loved people so much that when he should have been retired and taking life easy, he continued to work. For the last 13 years of his life, up until he passed, he worked at the Walmart in Camrose, Alberta.

I would always ask him why, and he would reply that he loved going to work and seeing and talking with the many friends he had made there. When he was on the till, people would line up to have him ring up their purchases, even if there were other tills open they would refuse to go to them just so they could talk with their friend Robert. He would always have a story or a joke or a kind word for them, he treated them all like they were special to him and important. He would always tell me about people who came to the store, they would talk and then he would tell them who they are, where they are from and why he knew them... He never forgot anyone, no matter how many years had passed. That is one of my greatest regrets, the fact that I never had him write down his stories, or record them. He was the family historian and knew so so many stories about our family and friends. I just loved sitting and listening to the stories and going through the hundreds of photographs he and I have; where he could identify everyone in them and knew stories about each and every one. I regret not writing them down.

A couple years ago, he came in for a visit and I took him to his old school in Calder, Edmonton, where he attended for grades 4 through 9 (with his sisters). The Principal was very kind and let us wander through the halls... she joined us as we went through the classrooms and my Dad regaled her with story after story about the school and the students who attended with him... He told her how the school looked back then and what had changed and what had not changed ( a lot of the features have remained unchanged since my Dad attended ). We left, leaving 3 people very happy and emotional...myself, my Dad and the Principal ( who could not contain how happy and honored she was to have met him ). I talked to her later and she gave me the name of a woman who's father also attended that school with my Dad... She really didn't know a lot about her father's past and Dad contacted her and told her some stories about her father (even though he was a grade or 2 ahead)... Another friend made.

That was my Dad... He was loved by everyone and will be greatly missed by everyone.

Robert was born in Tees, Alberta (along with his sisters Betty and Ruth), to Charlie and Florence Amy. The 3 siblings have told me so many stories of their lives on the farm. He had a little pony named Pansy. He and Betty attended the Nebraska School (for Grades 1-3) and would ride ponies the 8 km's North from Tees to the school.

He started working early in life (as that generation did) working for the CNR at 16 years old...He was a call boy and his job was to get on his bike and ride to people's houses to inform them of work schedules and duties. He remained with the CN for many years, working his way through the Calder Yards and ending up in the Telecommunications division ( he worked in the CN Tower in Edmonton as well as in Vancouver, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba). While he was with them in Winnipeg, Manitoba, I had the opportunity to spend a few years with him. Some of my fondest memories are from that time. He was a car guy and gave that passion to me. We used to buy old CN leased cars from auction and fix them up and resell them. During those years I had my first hot rods and we would work on them...Some of my most cherished memories. My love of sports is also from him. As a boy I used to love watching him play softball and I still have the ball glove he used when he played. He loved hockey and also did some curling.

From Winnipeg he moved to Calgary, left the CN and had a few different jobs ending up with Food Inspection Services. He also worked in the Mess Hall at the CFB Currie, Calgary where he met and was photographed with Princess Patricia Edwina Victoria Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Patron of the PPCLI.

He later moved to Mirror, Alberta (9 kilometers from Tees) with Lydia, and lived on an acreage where they have kept and cared for many animals... His favorites being a little donkey, a one eyed cat and his pit-bull Rosie. While in Mirror they ran a restaurant in Bashaw and my daughter and I loved visiting... He made us wonderful meals, his burgers were so good!!

So there it is... me trying to briefly tell the story of Robert Charles Kaasa.

Words can not express how greatly he will be missed.

He is being laid to rest in Tees, Alberta

He is going home.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert Charles Kaasa, please visit our floral store.