Larry Chaney
September 1, 1943 - July 9th 2025
It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of Larry Chaney on July 8, 2025 in hospice. Larry was an active member of our community for many years being in the Men's Club, Friendship Club, and sharing his passion for music with our various choir groups, the latest being the Celebration Singers, among the many other ways he connected to others at McDougall.
Service details: A music-themed Celebration of Larry’s Life will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at McDougall United Church (8516 Athabasca St. SE, Calgary, Alberta), commencing at 1:00pm.
Laurence Charles “Larry” Chaney Obituary
With heavy hearts, we honor the peaceful passing of Larry Chaney: husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and friend, into the arms of God.
The youngest of five children, Larry was born in Vancouver B.C. to Sophronia “Sophie” (née Jones) and John Lamire “Jack” Chaney.
When he was five years of age, the family moved to 11922-67 St. in Edmonton, Alberta, where he spent his early life. Attending Eastglen High School, he was involved in the school council, glee club, and was a captain of the City Championship senior football team in 1962. This love of football continued throughout his entire life. Being an ardent Edmonton Eskimo fan right until the end, however, he could not embrace the new “Elks.”
He trained as an automotive mechanic at both NAIT and SAIT, then started work at Western GMC in Edmonton. He continued working in the automotive field until he retired in 2008, although he had stopped pulling wrenches while working for Turnbull Motors in Edmonton shortly after he got married.
Music was a part of his very being. Alongside his family, Larry was active in Shiloh Baptist Church, where he became involved in church choirs, including “The Troubadours,” the first Black gospel group in Edmonton.
In 1968, Larry was asked to be the Best-Man at the wedding of a friend, Gordon Mayes, to Evelyn Miller. Her sister, Marilyn, was the Maid-of-Honor. Larry decided that he had just met his future wife and on July 24, 1971, they did indeed marry. In June of 1975, their first child, Kevin Stuart, was born. His brother, Thomas Gregory (now Abdul Malik), arrived in March of 1977.
In the 1970s, Larry decided to expand his work experience. He joined the Roadside Assistance Department at the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) in Edmonton, under the management of Guy McKinnon. He mainly did the dispatching of tow-trucks to various locations around the city. While working at various garages as a mechanic, he had gained a lot of experience driving tow trucks in all kinds of weather and unique circumstances. Consequently, he gained a huge amount of knowledge about the roads and streets in and around Edmonton. Dispatching was what he loved. He could tell drivers which route to take and estimate the time it would take. In the summers, he formed a crew of drivers who helped anyone on the highways around Edmonton, creating a good feeling towards AMA for doing this service especially for visitors and tourists. Guy let him be in charge of this part of the service, and he thrived.
In 1980, he moved with his family to Calgary, Alberta, where they bought a house in Canyon Meadows. Larry worked in automotive services at a variety of dealerships throughout the city for the next three decades, including Varsity Chrysler, Eastside Dodge, Tower Chrysler, and Southgate Chev Olds. His personable and friendly nature endeared many loyal customers wherever he worked until his retirement as a dispatcher.
Larry had a way of relating with people from all walks of life and found joy in serving others. He gave four decades of devoted service to McDougall United Church, coordinating church dinners, breakfasts, and camp meals. Besides singing with the church choir, Larry also sang with The Master’s Singers, and The Music Makers. He worked a couple of elections and enumerated one census.
Larry enjoyed gardening at home and going out to dinner theatre and musicals with Marilyn. They saw many travel documentaries and enjoyed the Calgary Philharmonic. They travelled extensively, including road trips throughout the Canadian & American West, and out East to see family. They only missed stepping into two American States. In retirement, he and Marilyn also enjoyed several ocean cruises, a few river cruises, and other travel tours together. Larry enjoyed socializing with friends and family, sharing his infectious laughter and love of life.
Alongside his wife Marilyn, he will be lovingly remembered by his two sons, Kevin (Agnieszka) and Abdul-Malik (Maimuna); their grandchildren: Khadeejah, Haleemah, Kalina, Tosia, Emmett, and Kareemah; his sister, Lenora; his nieces & nephews: Cathryn (Doug), Cameron, Brenda (Bruce), Barbara, Susan, Shelley, Douglas (Michelle), Kenin (Carmen), Shaun (Diedra) & Dorian (Sherry); his in-laws including the Mayeses, the Lyons, and the Millers; the Wolski family, and many more extended family and friends.
Larry was predeceased by his parents; siblings, Joyce, Joan and Kenneth; brothers-in-law, Lonnie (“Scotty”), Daniel, Clinton, Robert (“Bob”), Andrew (“Andy”); sisters-in-law, Monica, and Sylvia; nephew, Stuart; niece, Carol; and Suzanne Heslep.
The family gives special thanks to the staff of Unit 61 at Rocky View General Hospital, and to those at Chinook Care Hospice in Calgary who respectfully cared for Larry in his final weeks of life. In accordance with his wishes, cremation has taken place, and a private interment will follow.