Allan Edwin 'Al' Carruthers

June 16, 1937 - October 5, 2020
With profound sadness we announce the passing of Allan 'Al' Edwin Carruthers, a loving husband and father of many. Al passed away peacefully at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre on Monday, October 5, 2020 at the age of 83 years.
Al was born on June 16, 1937 in Grenfell, Saskatchewan to Herbert and Caroline (Mohr) Carruthers. Caroline raised the family of six children as a single mother. Al was united in marriage to Miriam (Baur) on November 2, 1957; and together they raised four daughters, four sons, and over 25 foster children throughout the years. While raising their family, they resided in Edmonton, Red Deer, and Blackfalds; later settling in Sylvan Lake.
Al endeavoured to honour and serve God in all he did. His faith in Jesus was very important to him. He was an ambitious, caring, and fun man. He was also a hard worker who broke a lot of negative fatherly cycles, and we admired his fighter spirit.
Al's passion was to help others, and he did it well through many avenues. Together with Miriam, they loved to be involved in many church activities.
Al held a special place in his heart for the youth, and enjoyed the role of Sunday School Superintendent, as well as his involvement with Scouts Canada. He would also organize rodeos for Michener Centre and for the church, and was helpful in many other organizations over the years.
Al was known to invite others to join him on trips, even to Hawaii; and he would often take people out for a meal, or buy them an ice cream cone, just to simply brighten their day.
Al and Miriam were also involved in many business ventures over the past 60 years, including: many construction projects, owning rental properties, Rim Rock Resort at Gull Lake, Lakewood Golf Course, the Lost Harbor Inn, and the Sylvan Lake Marina - where Al was very instrumental in getting the original light house constructed.
For 13 years they also owned and operated Miss Mermaid Dinner Cruises, where he enjoyed being 'Captain Al'. During their 'retirement' years, Al and Miriam spent 28 years in Juarez, Mexico with their charity, Operation Amigo. During that time, they built many orphanages, schools, and churches.
They accomplished this feat by taking teams of workers from all around Canada, and physically working very hard themselves, often taking up to five trips per year to achieve their goals. Many lives were improved because of their generosity of time and money; and more importantly, their compassionate spirit. Mexico will never be the same.
Al enjoyed entertaining and humour. He always had a quick joke, liked to tease, and he was also known for a prank or two (throwing the odd pie)! Al was also a great storyteller - sometimes his stories were true - and sometimes they were told with considerable embellishment! He liked to jokingly refer to himself as 'the man of steel'. Al was not a perfect man, but God loved him perfectly.
Al will be lovingly remembered by his God-fearing and loyal wife of almost 64 years, Miriam. They were a great team that worked together side-by-side. Al was the visionary, and Miriam was the detail person behind the scenes who wove it all together.
He will also be forever remembered and greatly missed by his eight children: Sugar (Willy) Goertzen, Patti Brady, Wendy (Ray) Block, Perry (Cathy) Carruthers, Tim (Laurie) Carruthers, Darcy (Susan) Carruthers, Amelia Carruthers (Ron), and Roger (Lori) Carlson; in addition to twenty-three grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. Al is additionally survived by his sisters: Alice, Ruth, and Donna; and his brother, Bill. He was predeceased by his parents, and his sister, Audrey.
"You were an incredible man - who left us with a strong legacy. Thank you.
You have fought the good fight. You have finished the race."
Due to current gathering restrictions, a family-only Celebration of Life Funeral Service in Al's Honour will be held at the Bentley Community Church, Bentley on Friday, October 9, 2020 at 1 pm with Pastor Greg Rathjen officiating.
To join Al's Celebration of Life online, (Meeting ID: 480 821 0835), please follow the Zoom Link at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4808210835
A private Interment Service will precede the Celebration of Life in the Bentley Cemetery, Bentley. If friends desire, memorial tributes in Al's memory may be made directly to the Operation Amigo Building Society, Box 9063, Sylvan Lake, Alberta T4S 1S6.
Messages may be forwarded to the family by visiting: www.ofc-ltd.ca
Service and Burial Arrangements for the Late Allan 'Al' Edwin Carruthers entrusted to the care of Oberhammer Funeral Chapels Ltd.
 Oberhammer Funeral Chapels Ltd.