Obituary of Robert Edmund Loov

October 29, 1933 – Wetaskiwin, Alberta

April 28, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Robert Loov, beloved husband of Carrol Lynne Jaques (nee Hooper), of Calgary, AB, passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at the age of 90 years.

Bob Loov was born October 29, 1933, in Wetaskiwin, AB, to Edvin Anders William Loov and Augusta (Asta) Charlotta (Carlsson) Loov, who had recently immigrated to Canada from Sweden. Bob and his twin brother Bill arrived in the depths of the Depression and grew up in a log house, built by Edvin, on the shore of Battle Lake near the headwaters of the Battle River. One of the interesting features of this house was the birch bark shingles covered by sod.

Bobby and Billy walked 3 km along a path through the woods to North Yeoford School with their elder brother Verner. Their elder sister Solveig was already in Calgary, taking a secretarial course. It was a one-room schoolhouse, which accommodated children from grades one to six. Because of a shortage of teachers, the twins did grades seven and eight by correspondence and then travelled by bus to continue their schooling at Lakedell School for grades nine to eleven.

Then it was time to join the family business, so Bob operated a portable lumber planer for three years in the area around Drayton Valley, Evansburg, and Edson. But education was important, so in 1952-53, Bob attended Wetaskiwin High School for grade twelve. This is where a very astute teacher recognized Bob’s abilities, talked to his parents, rounded up some scholarships, and encouraged Bob to study Engineering at the University of Alberta. He graduated in 1958 with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (with distinction). With encouragement from one of his Civil Engineering professors, Dr. George Ford, Bob attended Stanford University in California and received his M.S. degree in 1959.

On his return, he worked with Con-force Construction in Calgary as a Sales Engineer and then Chief Engineer. In 1963, he accepted an invitation to join the Engineering Faculty at the Calgary Branch of the University of Alberta, which later became the University of Calgary. With the encouragement of Dr. Mike Ward, he attended Cambridge University in the UK and received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1973. He returned to the University of Calgary as Assistant Professor and later Professor of Civil Engineering, with a period as Head of the Department of Civil Engineering from 1990 to 1993, until his retirement in 1999. During his academic career, Bob supervised numerous graduate students and received many awards.

Bob belonged to and served on many professional organizations: The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering where he served as Vice President and then President in 2000, and on many committees of the Canadian Standards Association. He was still trying to solve the “problem of shear” in his last few weeks.

Bob married Cheslyn Tulloch in 1963 and had two much-loved daughters, Nancy and Suzanne. The marriage ended and later he met Carrol Jaques; they married in 1979 and Bob became stepfather to Robert (Rob) and Susan.

After retirement, Carrol and Bob spent time hiking, travelling, attending theatre performances, CPO concerts, Calgary Opera, and generally enjoying life. Bob loved painting and spending time with family and friends.

Bob was predeceased by his parents and his siblings Verner and Solveig. He is survived by his wife Carrol Jaques, his twin brother Bill (Karin) of Red Deer, his daughter Nancy (Vrrej Biegler) of Hawaii, and grandchildren, Chantel (Carsey Furgason and Carsey’s children, Gracy and Katy) and Macartney of Calgary; his daughter Suzanne (Shawn Taylor) and grandchildren Erin and Ellen of Calgary; as well as numerous Loov nieces and nephews; Carrol’s children, Susan Jaques (Jeff Lum Wan) of Brisbane, Australia, and Robert Jaques (Joselynne) and their children in the United States; Carrol’s sisters, Patricia (David Bussard) of Australia, and Susan (Jack Giffen) of Lethbridge, and their children and grandchildren; as well as Carrol’s nephew Stephen McSween (Brenda) and family.

A Commemoration of Bob’s life will be held in July.

In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made in Bob’s honour directly to the University of Calgary, Faculty of Engineering, https://engage.ucalgary.ca/give, Designation: Schulich School of Engineering Impact Fund.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Bob’s family here.

In living memory of Robert (Bob) Loov, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-276-2296.