1937 - 2025
Mr. Earl Kinsella of Innisfail, Alberta passed away on June 13, 2025, at the age of 88 years. Earl was born on Easter Sunday, March 28, 1937, at Innisfail Hospital. He grew up on the family farm, established by his Clifford grandparents in 1919, and then farmed by his parents Bill and Annie Kinsella. After graduating from Innisfail High School, Earl worked at various jobs: installing car radios; conducting topographical surveys of mountains around Revelstoke; mapping for road construction in central Alberta; mapping waterways by canoe around Lac La Ronge and Flin Flon; driving a jeep for John Green, a Sasquatch researcher in California; and helping on the family farm.
He also obtained his small plane pilot license. He attended the University of Alberta, attaining his Bachelor of Science and Education degrees. During the summers he was in the Canadian Officers Training Corps (COTC) at Camp Borden, Ontario, obtaining his commission as Second Lieutenant in the Lord Strathcona Horse Regiment (Armoured/Tank). He served as a member of the military reserves for many years. While attending his last year of university, he met the love of his life, Daryl, who was a nursing student at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
One of their first dates was a small plane flight over the Kinsella family farm, with his parents and siblings waving at them from below. Earl and Daryl married on October 5, 1962. They lived in Edmonton until Earl completed his degree and then returned to Innisfail, where Earl taught high school biology and math in Bowden and Innisfail, and Daryl worked as a registered nurse at the Innisfail Hospital. Earl had a passion for education and learning, but his true calling was living and working on the land.
In 1967 they purchased their first quarter of land just one mile south of the Kinsella family farm where Earl was raised. Earl believed strongly in giving back to the community he called home. He served in leadership roles and on governing boards for the Health Unit Association of Alberta (twenty five years), the Red Deer Regional Health Unit (six years), the Alberta Teachers Association, the School Board and Chinook’s Edge Regional Division, the Kneehill Valley 4-H Beef club (five years), the Innisfail Co-op (thirteen years), and Olds College (eleven years).
Earl was a Red Deer County Councilor for twenty-one years, including nine years as Reeve and Mayor. In recognition of his overall service, Earl was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005 and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Earl had a passion for history, enjoyed many travels throughout the world, and remained living and working on the farm until the age of 88.
Earl will be lovingly remembered by his children, Laura Froggatt (Barry Cole), Colleen (Brian) Beatty, and Raymond; his grandchildren, Ben, Chelsey, Karley (Lance) and Daniel (Ginny); his sister Wilma Walz and sister-in-law Phyllis Kinsella, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Earl was predeceased by his wife Daryl of fifty-nine years, his son-in-law, Ken Froggatt; his four brothers, Ronnie, Harold, Lloyd and Ted (Alice), and his brother-in-law, Ernie.
A Come-and-Go Celebration of Earl’s life will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion, Br. #104, Innisfail, Alberta on Saturday, June 28, 2025 from 2:00 -5:00 p.m. If friends desire, Memorial Donations may be made at www.innisfailhealthdonations.com.
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd. 4415-49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone 403-227-0006 Fax 403-227-6437
