We regret to advise of the death of Warrant Officer Henry Leo Palindat, CD (Ret’d) on 26 May 2024 in Edmonton AB at the age of 93 years.
Henry was born near the village of Parkman SK and grew up in Virden MB. While living in Virden, he was a member of the Boy Scouts, the Air Cadets, and the Army militia. Henry quit school after Grade X and went to work for a geophysical company and then a local garage. He next went to Calgary at age 17 to find work and ended up enlisting in the Royal Canadian Engineers at Currie Barracks AB.
Henry started his Sapper training at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering in December 1948 in Chilliwack and subsequently completed a Clerk’s course. His first posting was to the Chief Engineers Office at Army Headquarters in Ottawa followed by a transfer to the Personnel, Royal Canadian Engineer office.
Henry was then posted to the Army Survey Establishment (now Mapping and Charting Establishment) in 1950. Promoted to Corporal that year, he requested and received a transfer to the Topographical Surveyor trade the following year. Henry was to spend more than 18 years in this new trade. As a Topographical Surveyor, he participated in some 13 survey field parties at places such as Gimli MB, Great Bear Lake YK, Kenora ON, the Arctic Islands, and Hudson Bay. He was a survey instructor at the School of Military Mapping during 1967 - 70 and retired from the Canadian Forces in 1970.
After retiring from the military, Henry continued his surveying and mapping career. He moved his family to Calgary, where he worked with J.C. Sproule and Associates for four years, performing photogrammetric work and making several maps. Henry then moved to Edmonton and worked for the Provincial Government where he performed surveying computations for six years. During this time, he obtained his commission as an Alberta Land Surveyor in 1979.
Henry became an owner of Alpine Surveys Ltd, a legal survey company in Red Deer in 1981 but this adventure lasted only 11 months due to the economic situation in 1981. He then took a position with the Provincial Government, performing control and legal surveys until his retirement in 1993.
Henry was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Sappers Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Alberta Society of Surveying and Mapping Technologists (ASSMT), and St Theresa Parish Bowling League.
A Funeral Service took place at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church {7508 29 Avenue NW, Edmonton} on Thursday, 30 May at 11:00 AM, with visitation before the service. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories. Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home.
