Tadeusz (Tad) Maria Foltyn

Tadeusz (Tad) Maria Foltyn was born on October 1, 1932, in Skoczów, Poland, near the border of what is now Czechia. His early life was influenced by World War II. Tad’s father, a teacher, was arrested by the Gestapo and spent time in a German forced-labour camp. Until the end of the war, Tad lived with his mother and younger brother in what his brother recalls as a former cigarette shop in Czechia. Tad trained as a mechanical engineer at the Silesian University of Technology, where he focused on mining. His work took him to India, where he spent two years before falling ill and returning to Poland.

In 1979, Tad immigrated to Canada with his wife and daughter. The family arrived in Calgary at the tail end of the oil boom and Tad quickly found work in his field. The family embraced life in Canada and spent summer holidays on road trips to BC, throughout the prairies and as far afield as Ontario and Quebec. Some challenging years followed in the early 1980s, but Tad persevered and again found engineering work, retiring in 1997.

Tad was an avid sports fan, following tennis and soccer. He loved spending time outdoors, especially in the mountains, where he and his family devoted many summer weekends to hiking and picnicking. After retirement, Tad found joy in biking through Fish Creek Park and playing tennis at Midnapore Lake. Tad was a classical music enthusiast, attending the concerts put on by Kensington Sinfonia. He had a famous sweet tooth, delighting in cakes and pastries of all kinds, especially the poppyseed cheesecake from the Polish deli. His two grandsons brought him such happiness, and he was so proud of the young men they grew into.

Tad was predeceased by his son Andrzej from a previous marriage, and by his wife Helena. He leaves to mourn his daughter Agnieszka (Aga) Rettie and beloved grandsons James and Leo; his former son-in-law, Alex Rettie; and family and friends in Poland, including his brother Marian and sister-in-law Teresa. During his later years, Tad was fortunate to form a friendship with Lyle, a weekly and devoted visitor from the Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society. He was also cared for by Jenny, whose good humour and delicious cooking from her native Venezuela were a great comfort to him. Tad lived a long and interesting life, maintaining generally good health throughout. He was fiercely independent, living on his own until the last month he spent in hospital with heart issues. He passed away on June 25th. The family wishes to thank the doctors -- especially Dr. Nim Wickramasekara -- nurses and staff in units 66 and 78 at the South Calgary Health Campus for their thoughtful care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Tadeusz (Tad) Maria Foltyn, please visit our Tree Store.