Valentin (Tine) Mravlje

Born on January 4, 1926 in Brezovica, pri Ljubljani, Slovenija

Died on February 12, 2021 in Calgary, Alberta at age 95

Tine was born the sixth of ten children of Anton and Frančiška Mravlje. He had a normal childhood on the farm, learning how to butcher livestock and tend crops. His life changed dramatically at age 16 with WWII, revolution, and foreign occupation redefining everything. Tine joined the Home Guard a year later to protect their home and livelihood. The end of WWII in 1945 came with new dangers, necessitating his flight to Austria with sister Dragica and brother John, living in displaced person camps for the next four years. In 1949, the three siblings along with good friends, the Boh family, jumped at the opportunity to immigrate to Canada as farm labour. They worked together in the Barnwell, Alberta area for four years. Tine saved his pennies and was able to realize his life's dream of farming on his own near Coaldale, Alberta. He had a mixed farm of alfalfa, wheat, sugar beets and a small herd of cattle.

A bachelor all his life, Tine loved the solitude, birds, writing poetry, and lending his incredible tenor voice to the St. Ambrose Catholic Church choir in Coaldale. Weekly visits with friends in Lethbridge always included cards with the accompanying knuckle rapping, the occasional beer, and rousing political banter. He enjoyed welcoming his extended family for summer holidays on the farm to suffer the hoeing of sugar beets, delight in feeding cows, bailing hay, and building haystacks at the end of the season. The ever-popular farm breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausages was a Sunday staple accompanied, of course, by heavily sugared and milky coffee. Tine retired from active farming at age 78, moving first to Coaldale, then to Calgary to live with his sister.

Tine was predeceased by his parents, seven brothers, a niece, and a nephew in Slovenija, and his brother-in-law John in Calgary. He is survived by his brother John, sister Dragica, nephew and nieces Michael, Dorothy (Ian), Barbara, and Miriam (Laurie), their children Isaac, Emily (Marc), Daniel (Megan), Joel, Mikaela, Kesia and “the little one”, Alice. He is also mourned by his sister Marija, sister-in-law Genovifa, and nieces and nephews in Slovenija and the United States. Friends in Coaldale and Lethbridge will remember Tine with great fondness.

Tine knew what he wanted. His stubborn and gruff communication style was, however, thin camouflage for a big heart and his great love for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to your local homeless shelter, or to a charitable organization of your choice. Tine’s family wishes to thank the amazing team of paramedics who got the ball rolling, and to the incredible, patient, and compassionate staff of units 71 and 73 at the Rockyview Hospital who cared for him during his final days.

A Private Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 11:00am at St. Michael Catholic Community. Live-streaming will be available through the link below starting at 10:50am.

Inurnment to follow at Saint Michael's Columbarium.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Valentin (Tine) Mravlje, please visit our floral store.