Frank Ernst Pronk

On Monday, October 31, 2022, Frans Ernst (Frank) Pronk passed away peacefully at his home in St. Teresa Place. Frank was born on February 4, 1931, in Rotterdam to Carlos Pronk and Catharina Johanna Verboom. He is predeceased by his parents, elder brother Carlos Maarten (1930-1998) and daughter, Ingrid Maria (1957-2005). 

After earning his civil engineering degree in Rotterdam, Frank emigrated with his young wife Ria from the Netherlands in 1955, finding employment in Calgary as a surveyor's assistant. He was quickly promoted to resident engineer for several new subdivisions in southwest Calgary. He was always looking for challenging new construction projects, and his work took him across Canada and around the world. Some notable projects included overseeing construction of the Fraser Canyon Highway Tunnels, a project in Iraq and projects making innovative use of locally available materials in road construction. Frank was a finalist in the 1977 Engineering News-Record awards for his pioneering use of sulphur mixed with asphalt.

In his retirement, Frank continued to challenge himself and seek ways to make improvements to the world around him. He was the owner and general contractor of a new subdivision on Lasqueti Island in British Columbia, a remote community where all types of construction are challenging. Frank was an avid chess player and loved classical music, reading, writing letters, poems and short stories and recounting tales of his youth.

Frank is lovingly remembered by three of his four children, Frank (Mary Ann), Marie-Louise Ellen (David) and Robert (Leslie); four grandchildren, Brandon, Allison (Andrew), Julianne (Sammy), and Jenelle; and one great-grandchild, Indy. A private memorial was held for family on Lasqueti island, British Columbia, where he spent many of his happiest days. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Calgary Food Bank.