Harlow Ephrem Way

Early on Friday, August 18, 2023, our beloved Dad, Grampa, and Great Grampa, Harlow Way, passed peacefully, surrounded by so much love from his whole family. Just this May, his 7 kids, 13 grands & 14 great-grands, gathered to celebrate his 95th birthday. Trust Dad to be so organized as to hold his celebration of life while he was still living it.

Born in 1928, in Fort MacLeod, AB, he started life on the Piegan reserve in Brocket, where his father Frederick was the railway station master. He always slept best to the sound of trains passing by. He grew up in Daysland but left to finish high school at St Joe’s College in Edmonton, where he earned his BA in Economics from the University of Alberta. He had many great adventures between terms, working as a guard on the trains and transporting goods as far north as Tuktoyaktuk.

In 1952, he moved to Calgary and began his very successful career as a Petroleum Landman with Husky, then Imperial Oil. While there, through what can only be described as Divine Intervention, he met our mother, his beloved Patricia (Lynch). “After some earnest pleading on his part”, she accepted his proposal, and they married in 1954. Together they raised 7 children in houses full of love and laughter in Regina, Edmonton, and finally back home in Calgary.

In 1977, as District Exploration Manager at Norcen Resources, he was voted President of the CAPL (Canadian Assn of Petroleum Landmen). In 1980, he was seconded to the Canadian Govt. as a special advisor for Energy, Mines, and Resources, and in 1982-83 served as Vice-President of the AAPL (American Assn PL) He started his own company, LK Resources with colleagues Ray Ellard and Dick Buckland in 1980. It blossomed into WebEx Oil and Gas. He was made a Life Member of the CAPL in 1991.

He retired in 1993 to devote more time to travelling the world by cruise ship with Mom and being the best Grampa and ultimately Great-Grampa ever. Mom and Dad joined the SKINs club (Spending Kid’s Inheritance Now) and bought a cabin in Whitefish, MT where we could all gather to swim and sing songs by the campfire in summer and ski in the winters at Big Mtn. Mom & Dad were founding members of the Seniors Ski Club and kept at it late into their 70s.

While certainly successful in business, Harlow’s proudest achievement was as the patriarch of our very close-knit, large, extended family. It was said that it was much easier to get into the Way clan than to get out of it. He managed to convince each of his 3 daughters that “she was his favourite”, which lead to some competition as to who could spoil him enough to ultimately claim the title. He was a shining example of strength, love, service, and devotion. He taught us all so many lessons but most of all that you can never go wrong if you lead with Love.

Harlow was predeceased by his beloved Patricia, infant daughter Frances, his parents, Frederick, and Mayme, and only brothers Fred and Gerry. He leaves behind to cherish his memory seven kids: Bill (Heather), Cathy (Brian) Genge, Mike (Colleen), Linda (David) Foo, Sheila, Greg (Lenore), and David (Neo); and his 13 Grandchildren and 14 Great-grandchildren (and growing).

Until the last few weeks of his life, Harlow was blessed to be lovingly cared for at home by Dave and Neo. The family are forever grateful for their love and devotion.

Prayers will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church (10827 24 St SW, Calgary) on Monday, August 21, 2023. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 11:00am, also at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where he and Mom were members from it’s inception.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Harlow Ephrem Way, please visit our floral store.