Mulvey – Douglas Alexander Mulvey of Brooks, Alberta, beloved husband of Marjorie, passed away peacefully in the early morning of Christmas Eve with his oldest son Blake by his side at the age of 90 years. All family members were either able to spend some time or talk on the phone with him prior to his passing. Doug was born on September 12, 1933 in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. He took his schooling in Maple Creek before heading out to work on his Uncle George’s ranch near Osoyoos, B.C, in the Richter Pass. Doug also worked for many of the big ranches throughout the BC interior, such as the Kootenay Cattle Company where he met future brother-in-law Harold McGibbon – little did he know, Harold had a younger sister who he would soon meet. While on the hunt for some lost heifers that ended up at the McGibbon Ranch, he was invited in for lunch and sat across the table from a beautiful young lady who worked the fruit stand on Road 20. After frequent stops at the fruit stand and a few dates, Doug and Marjorie were married on June 9, 1961, in Oliver, B.C. This started their next adventure in life, working their way up the Alaska Highway on the drilling rigs. They purchased a mobile-home trailer and spent their first Christmas together in Fort Nelson on Pink Mountain about 12 miles off the main road. They moved along with the drilling rigs (Reading & Bates Corp and Guthrie McLaren Drilling), living in many places in Northern B.C. and Alberta. In 1963, their first son Blake was born in Grande Prairie; eighteen months later their second son, Boyd, arrived. In 1967, while living in Fox Creek, their third son Garth was born at the Whitecourt Hospital and their family was complete. The family then moved to Whitecourt where Doug was running a gas plant for Pacific Petroleum. They then landed in Eckville around 1970 where Doug built and ran the Gilby Gas Plant. As the boys were growing up, he was their Cub Scout Leader for many years, and was busy chasing them around to and from hockey games. Doug was also an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Many weekends were spent with the family and their truck and camper in the back country off the beaten trail enjoying what nature had to offer. In 1978, they moved to Carstairs, Doug still working for Petro Canada, and spending 1.5 years there before being transferred to Brooks in 1979. Marj declared, “I am not moving these boys around anymore” and that is where they have stayed since. Doug was the Superintendent of Southern Alberta for Petro Canada until he retired early in 1989. Doug and Marjie loved to curl and enjoyed many bonspiels back in Osoyoos, and other places. They loved to camp and fish in the summer and were fortunate to do a lot of traveling to Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Norway, and sailing the Caribbean and Mexico with his brother Wayne and wife Sheila. After retirement, they travelled to the States, becoming annual snowbirds. They landed in Pahrump, Nevada, where they spent many winters for the next twenty plus years and enjoyed golfing and happy hours with their many friends. Doug loved to tinker and woodwork. He was also a great “hired” hand out at Blake’s farm, running the small baler, changing water, being the Iron Man at branding time, or helping with anything that needed to be done. In 1997, his title got upgraded to Grandpa when their first grandchild Mackenzie arrived, soon followed by 6 more; Georgiana, Piers, Caitlin, Paige, Hayden, and Carter. He was a very proud Grandpa and soaked up every minute he could with them. In the last year and a half of Doug’s life, Carter and Grandpa had a special bond as Doug moved into Sunrise Gardens, and Carter would go visit him regularly, becoming known as the Grandpa whisperer, because he could get Grandpa to do almost anything like playing shuffleboard and bingo, or just going outside for a stroll. Doug and Marj had a great life together with their family and so many lifelong friends they have made over the years. Doug was predeceased by his mother, Mabel, brothers Wayne & Gordie and his brother in-laws Roderick, John & Harold. Doug is survived by his loving wife Marj of 62 years, his 3 sons and families; Blake and Crystal of Antelope Creek, Boyd and Jane of Woodbridge, England and Garth and Renea of Calgary, and 7 grandchildren: Mackenzie (Jordan), Hayden and Carter, Georgiana and Piers, Caitlin and Paige and his first great grandbaby to arrive at the end of April 2024 as well as numerous nieces and nephews and 2 sisters-in-law Lorraine McGibbon and Pat Denis (Mulvey). The family would like to thank the nurses and HCA’s at Sunrise Gardens who took great care of our Grandpa the last year and a half. If desired, memorial donations can be made to the Brooks & District Health Foundation, Bag 300 Brooks, Alberta T1R 1B3 403-793-6663. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Cremation is entrusted to and conducted at
Smith Funeral Home Ltd., Brooks
Funeral arrangements entrusted to:
SMITH FUNERAL HOME LTD.
BROOKS, ALBERTA
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