Kevin Stoker

It is with heartfelt sadness that we say goodbye to Kevin, a man of few words but big actions who passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday February 4th, 2020 at the age of 56 in Calgary, Alberta. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Carole Stoker (Page), daughters Cassandra (Codie) Blair, Melissa Stoker (Court Bohmer) and Rebecca Stoker (Jason Borsato), adoring granddaughters Nora and Olivia; and the third on the way, sisters Sharon (Brad) Harris, and Yvonne (Doug) Sherren, Aunt, Uncle & cousins in Holland, numerous nieces and nephews & their children of Calgary. Kevin was born in Calgary to Hans and Jean Stoker.

At the young age of 16 Carole caught sight of Kevin’s bold move to wear bright red socks to a party, they’ve been together ever since. They grew up together navigating life and all of its experiences; beginning with learning about each other, building a family and more recently renovating their 1913 home (the same home that Kevin grew up in - ‘change’ was not something he embraced). Their evenings often included a friendly competition while watching Jeopardy.  Carole will strive to keep Kevin’s memory alive by sharing stories and memories with love and a touch of humor. 

Kevin loved family camping trips, going ATVing, sitting by the fire and watching his family grow around him. The pride Kevin had for his daughters Cassandra, Melissa and Rebecca sparkled in his eyes every time he spoke of them and was clearly visible whenever he saw them.  Cassandra, Melissa and Rebecca will hold close the memories of going to job sites and the Hurst shop as youngsters, time he spent at the pool volunteering and cheering Melissa and Rebecca on at swim meets. His girls will always cherish every kilometer they walked with their Dad.

Kevin had a gigantic soft spot for his granddaughters Nora and Olivia. He always said yes and was ready to play with them and the grand puppies no matter how tired he was or how comfy the couch looked. He just couldn’t say no to them, sneaking treats to them or throwing them into the air, he was up for anything. He would spend countless hours throwing balls for the dogs and sneak them onto the couch much to Carole’s dismay.

Codie, Jason and Court are strong young men and will miss Kevin’s mentorship. They admired his loyalty, integrity and perseverance. Kevin knew that these men would love and take care of his girls and their families. Kevin was looked up to with great respect and admiration as a role model for his children and their partners.

Kevin enjoyed get-togethers like thanksgiving, dinners out, visiting, and monthly darts. Ok let’s be honest, he definitely didn't want to go out but always spoke fondly about the events and the people afterwards. His presence at these events will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends.

If you had interactions with Kevin, you knew of his sarcastic humour. He was not the classic Dad joke guy, instead created his own brand of humour in everyday conversations, making countless facial expressions that will be fondly remembered

Kevin's sisters felt privileged to have him as their brother, he was always joyful, helpful and made them laugh. He saw the good bad and ugly, yet always stayed loyal. He never had anything bad to say about anyone or anything. They admired his sense of adventure, his caring and protective nature and are so incredibly proud of him.

Kevin was a wonderful son-in-law, from reroofing to chopping down a 40 foot mayday tree, he was always eager to lend a hand no matter how big the task. Many family and friends benefited from this quality of Kevin’s.

Kevin began his career as an apprentice carpenter at the age of 18, following his father’s footsteps when he went to work for Hurst Construction in 1981. He was a dedicated member of Hurst, working with them for 39 years making his way to Foreman, Superintendent and had recently made the transition to learning the ropes of estimating potential jobs in the Hurst office. On numerous major projects including multiple Woods Homes Campuses, Calgary Academy and Renfrew Academy his attention to detail was evident and appreciated by those in the industry. He built a strong reputation for himself, earning the respect of many industry colleagues through his hard work, dedication, skill and integrity.

Kevin was one of the BEST! His death has rocked the world of his co-workers, trade contractors, owners and designers that he worked with. Some of us have memories of that young kid who grew to a skilled carpenter superintendent. Kevin completed his carpenter apprenticeship and continued on to mentor apprentice carpenters while he did carpentry and supervision. Owners and architects requested him to run their projects. Once two owners wanted him at the same time for two different jobs. One architect said Kevin gave him solutions, not problems. Kevin did not lead by yelling he led by example, if the job was going slower than he wanted, he put on his tool belt and went to work, the crew had to keep up. He did his paperwork and planning later. A significant amount of Kevin’s work was for not for profit Societies that serve the community of Calgary. He has left a legacy that will serve his community long into the future. Users of these facilities will enjoy them, not knowing how much care Kevin put into them. Kevin’s modesty fits that; but, he had a nice quiet smile when someone recognized his contribution. - Gord Graham, Hurst Construction 

Kevin participated in the annual Kidney March for eight of the past ten years. Kevin and Cassandra walked the 100 kilometers in year one, which ignited a drive for many family members and friends to join team KC&THEPOLYCYSTAS. The team continued participating whether it be marching, crewing, volunteering or fundraising. Kevin’s smile and his support for others will be greatly missed by the Kidney March Family. 

A Celebration of Life for Kevin will be held at Bow Valley Christian Church (5300 53 Ave NW, Calgary) on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Casual attire is requested.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Kevin’s Kidney March Fundraising Page.  https://kidney.akaraisin.com/ui/KidneyMarch2020/participant/1085179

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