June 20, 1938 – December 30, 2024
Darryl Adam Laycraft of Okotoks, Alberta passed away peacefully
on December 30, 2024 at the age of 86 years.
Darryl is survived by his loving wife of 60 years Camille
(nee Stewart); sons David (Alison), Stephen (Shannon) and Todd
(Heather); grandchildren Tate, Paula, Foster, Monroe, Spencer, Liam
and Sara Laycraft, Xavier Laycraft La Borde, Alex Cabelka and Aiden
Norman La Borde; son-in-law Anthony La Borde (Erin Norman); sister
Marlene Herriman; sister-in-law Phyllis Laycraft and brother-in-law
David Stewart.
Darryl was predeceased by his parents Willis and Stella Laycraft;
daughter Kristi Laycraft; parents-in-law Cameron and Millicent
Stewart; brother Jim Laycraft; brother-in-law Lawrence Herriman and
sister-in-law Shannon Stewart.
Born in High River, Alberta on June 20, 1938, Darryl spent his first
63 years on the family grain farm in Blackie, Alberta. The farm was
homesteaded by Darryl’s grandparents Robert and Martha Laycraft
in 1904 and then transitioned to Willis and Stella. Darryl’s first crop
under his own permit book was in 1960 and over the next fifteen years,
additional farmland was acquired from Jimmy Rockafellow, Joe Cassidy
and Russel Both. Darryl was a talented and progressive businessman
and farmer and his final crop was in 1997.
Darryl attended Grades 1 – 3 at Dinton before finishing his schooling in
Blackie. Although he was destined to be a farmer, Darryl also worked
during the winters as a laborer on many Calgary construction sites,
including the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and the Beacon Hotel.
He also worked with local plumber Milt Finley.
In 1964, Darryl married Camille Lillian Stewart in Eureka, California,
where she was nursing. They then moved home to the old farmhouse
after Willis and Stella relocated to Blackie. A new farmhouse was built in
1970 and was the perfect home to raise children David (1965), Stephen
(1968), Kristi (1970) and Todd (1973).
A log cabin at Little Bow Resort was built in 1993 and a condominium
in Victoria, BC was purchased in 2007, and retirees Darryl and Camille
migrated with the season to these properties, while maintaining their
home-base in Okotoks. Regardless of their location, they hosted untold
celebrations, sleepovers and family holidays. Memories shared by the
grandchildren, who began arriving in 1998, included hiking on the
Hogsback and the Inner Harbor Seawall, usually sucking on “power
pills”; Sea-Doo rides and fishing at the lake; Old Pete & Old Paint; the
Happy Hour rituals; and shaving cream fights.
Darryl was a Charter Member of the Blackie Lions Club and served on
many other local volunteer boards over the years. Memorable vacation
spots included Terravista in Windermere; Kaanapali and Napili in Hawaii;
Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo in Mexico; at least four trips to
Disneyland; Point No Point in BC; cruising through the Panama Canal;
viewing the Mona Lisa in Paris; and cruising the Yangtze River in China.
Over the years, Darryl enjoyed curling, golf, skiing, boating and reading.
But he truly excelled at being a husband, father and grandfather and he
will be thoroughly missed by his family:
…He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
“Funeral Poem” by W.H. Auden
Darryl was profoundly affected by daughter Kristi’s lengthy battle with
cancer, so it was especially poignant as he fought his own battle during
his final weeks. The family wants to acknowledge Dr. Adam Vyse and
the exceptional care received from the medical teams at both the High
River and Foothills Hospital. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made
in Darryl’s honor to the High River & District Health Care Foundation @
highriverhealthfoundation.ca
A Celebration of Darryl’s Life will be held at the High River United Church
on January 25, 2025 at 2:00 pm. For those unable to attend, the service
will be livestreamed at www.lylereeves.com.
Caring for the family is Lyle Reeves Funerals of High River
(Craig Snodgrass) 403.652.4242 – www.lylereeves.com.
