Norman Lorne Dolanz

The family of Norman Lorne Dolanz sadly announce Norm’s passing on August 17th, 2023, at the age of 92 years in Creston, British Columbia.

Norm Dolanz was born on February 20th, 1931, at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta to parent’s Jesse and John Dolanz. He spent his early years living in downtown Edmonton in an apartment on the corner of 97th street and Jasper Avenue. The family then moved to the Forest Heights district where he attended school at St. Teresa. Norm’s father, John, worked at the Black Diamond Mine which was located in the east part of Edmonton. Norm’s mother, Jesse, whom he always spoke very fondly of, sadly passed away in 1944 when Norm was quite young. After the death of his mother, Norm had to become very independent.  He got his first job in 1946 around the age of 15 as a CPR telegraph delivery boy. After doing that job for about a year, he got a job at Imperial Caskets in the glue room filling the knot holes in the caskets with glue and paper. He then went on to work for Don Caster’s Construction. Around 1948 Norm and his father left Edmonton to join relatives in Wolf Creek, Alberta, where his Aunt Anna and Uncle Jack Smith ran the Smith’s store. They purchased a piece of property and built a little homestead on it. Not long after, Norm got a job in a lumber camp for R.D. Moon which he thought was great, as they fed you, housed you, and you could earn five cents for peeling one railway tie. He had a terrible accident during this time where he needed to be driven out of the bush in the back of an old Model T Ford. Fortunately, there was a Studebaker dealership on the highway to town and the owner there rushed Norm to the hospital in a brand new Studebaker, against Norm’s wishes because he didn’t want to mess up the new car. After he recovered, he went on to work for several construction companies such as L.L Hanson, Don Casters, and Progressive Construction.

In October 1952, Norm married Mary Warwaruk in Edson, Alberta. In 1953 he started into truck driving which he had a passion for. In the same year, his first daughter, Theresa Mary Anna (Terry), was born.  He bought his own piece of property in Wolf Creek, Alberta not far from the Smith’s Store where he built a house, a barn and a few shops. Norm was very intelligent when it came to inventing things. He built a manual light plant so they could have light because there was no electricity on the homestead. Norm would talk about having a huge garden, a milk cow and calf, pigs and chickens. He was also an avid hunter, but we were always reminded it wasn’t by choice. 

In 1955 he got a job at Mannix’s Garage in Edson, Alberta, he was always very handy when it came to fixing cars. In 1957 Norm’s second daughter, Norma Lynn, was born and in 1961 Norm’s third child, Douglas Lorne was born. In 1963 Norm went on to work for the Cicciarelli Brothers in their gravel yard. There he learned to operate all sorts of heavy equipment and was especially talented on the grader.  In 1967 Norm was hired on by the Department of Highways (now Alberta Transportation) as a grader operator in the rural areas where he also would operate the snowplows in the winter. On one such occasion while Norm was plowing the roads between Edson and Hinton, Alberta, a prisoner from the Grande Cache Institution had escaped police custody in Hinton. This man had acquired a gun and a hostage and ended up getting into Norm’s plow truck. Norm, being held at gun point drove the man and hostage for a couple miles until the gunman decided the snowplow was too slow of a getaway vehicle.

In 1971 Norm moved his family from Wolf Creek, Alberta into the town of Edson, Alberta, which was quite a change from the farm life. Norm continued to work his way up with his job with Alberta Transportation, becoming one of the best finishing grader operators. He was eventually promoted to foreman of the District of Robb, Alberta. 

In 1986 Norm met Carolyne Edwards and together they moved to Robb, Alberta. In 1987 Norm’s fourth child, Holly Carolyne, was born. On December 24th, 1988, Norm and Carolyne where married in Las Vegas, Nevada. They spent the next five years living in Robb, Alberta until Norm’s retirement in 1992. Norm worked for Alberta Transportation for exactly 25 years. Soon after retirement they relocated to Erickson, BC, purchasing a nice little house with a big shop. Norm took up Blacksmithing and became quite good at it. He joined the Kootenay Blacksmith Association where he helped teach blacksmithing, honed his own skills, and met people with similar interests. Norm was very proud of his blacksmithing and over the years managed to fill his shop with every tool imaginable. Norm also enjoyed camping with his family, going to Blacksmith conferences, and he had a strong love for animals.

Norm is predeceased by his mother and father, Jesse and John Dolanz.

Norm is survived by his loving wife, Carolyne Dolanz of Erickson, BC, his children Terry Herbert of Edmonton, AB, Norma (Reg) Skitch of Edmonton, AB, Doug Dolanz of Coquitlam, BC, and Holly Dolanz (Cheyne Williams) of Erickson, BC. His stepchildren David Barr Doran of Edson, AB, Charlotte Petty of Edmonton, AB, Jennifer (Dennis) Van Dyck of Edson, AB, and Heidi Doran (Robert Sanders) of Edson, AB. Grandchildren Adam (Pearl) Herbert of Leduc, AB, Bryan (Aicha) Herbert, Sarah (Crystian) Martinez, Liam Skitch, and Steven Dolanz all of Edmonton, AB, Leslie Dolanz and Cash Fedechko both of Erickson, BC. Step grandchildren Daniel Petty, Logan (Kennedy) Petty, and Meagan Petty all of Edmonton, AB. Riley Van Dyck, Declan, Fynn and Kellyn Sanders all of Edson, AB. Great Grandchildren Dominic Hart of Leduc, AB, Bella Herbert-Martinez, Amir Herbert, and Mila Martinez all of Edmonton, AB.

There will be no service as per Norm’s request.

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