Leo Krysa

KRYSA, Leo On November 20, 2010, Leo Krysa of Edmonton passed away at the age of 81 years. Leo was born on August 4, 1929 in Edmonton, Alberta, the first child of Victoria and John. He was raised in Edmonton and lived his entire life in the City. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Betty; his children, Cathy (Roger Palmer), John and Eric; eight grandchildren, Alison, Lana, Leo, Eve, Daniel, Jacqueline, Bradley and Graham. He is also survived by his brother, Toby (Dallas) Krysa; sister-in-law, Phyllis Johnson; cousin-in-law, Hugh Ryan; as well as nieces and nephews that he was very fond of. Leo led a full and rewarding life. He was a loving, caring, hard working and demanding individual - never more demanding of anyone than of himself. His caring for family was ever present in his generosity and abundant good advice. He was a family patriarch in the true sense of the word. He provided strength, guidance and emotional and financial support in numerous and creative ways. He had a knack for knowing where a need existed and would do his utmost to help fulfill the need without intruding on others' ability to make decisions, although he did not hesitate to express his opinions! Betty was the light of Leo's life. He adored his life-long partner. They shared many happy occasions with family and friends and numerous travels around the world. They developed a strong network of travel companions from all over Canada and the United States. He enjoyed entertaining his family and friends, and he and Betty did so with relish. He was immensely proud of his grandchildren. He delighted in hearing about, and supporting their dreams, hopes, travels, exploits, educational pursuits and careers. He was ever so encouraging to them and had a level of tolerance that he did not always display for his own children! The years mellowed Leo. He was a storyteller extraordinaire with an ability to take an average occurrence and describe the nuances with great humor and insight. His strength of character and positive outlook on life persisted until the last moments of his life. He loved an audience and a strong intellectual debate and was a voracious reader; not a day passed that Leo did not scour local and national papers and various other publications for news, particularly about the economy. He was a creative person with a strong eye for design, always impeccably dressed and living and working in pristine and interesting environments that he and Betty designed. Leo chose a career in business, but it was also his hobby. He began working in the machinery business as a young man and in 1964 he incorporated Krysa Construction Machinery (KCM). In 1974, KCM was recognized as the largest volume distributor in North America for Massey Ferguson Industrial and Construction Machinery. KCM had operational units in Canada and the U.S.A. During this period, he was elected Chair of his peer group for eight years in North America, a leadership role he engaged in with relish. In 1984, Leo initiated a new venture, Ultra Seat Corporation, under the leadership of his son, Eric, who became President in 2003. Ultra has become the largest after-market industrial seat provider in Canada. Leo and Betty believed in the importance of supporting the community both voluntarily and financially. As one means of doing so, they established the second private family Foundation ever incorporated in the Province of Alberta in 1974. While modest, the Foundation has provided funding to over 80 community, educational, religious and health-related organizations to date. Memorial Reception Friday, November 26 at 3:00 p.m. at Royal Mayfair Golf and Country Club, 9450 Groat Road South. Cremation has taken place in Park Memorial Crematorium. A private family inurnment will take place. In memory of Leo, donations may be made to a charity of one's choice. To send condolences, visit www.parkmemorial.com Park Memorial Edmonton 780-426-0050 Family Owned Funeral Home Crematorium, Reception Centre