Herman Hendrik Ballast

Herman Ballast passed away suddenly on Friday, February 14, 2025, at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta.

Herman was born May 6, 1943, to Harm and Lijntje Ballast in Wieringen Noord Holland in the Netherlands. He attended school in Den Oever until April 1953, when Herman and his brother, Armand immigrated to Canada with their parents. Coming over on the ship, Groote Beer, they landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Then by train they left and went to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the Immigration Hall. His father found work in Dominion City, Manitoba. Herman went to school to learn English and continued his education until Grade 11. In 1962, he went to Winnipeg to attend a diesel mechanic course at the Manitoba Technical Institute. He took his apprenticeship at his father’s International Harvester Dealership in Dominion City.

Herman met Arlene Duncan in town when she walked past their shop daily on her way to work as a telephone operator. One morning, Herman asked her if she would like a ride to work. That ride to work started their relationship. Herman proposed to Arlene in November 1967, and married in 1968 in Hilton, Manitoba.

Living in Dominion City, Herman was involved in many things such as Community Hall President, Volunteer Firefighter, Chamber of Commerce, and Dominion City Arena. In 1978, Herman and his brother, Armand bought the dealership from their father. In 1980, the interest rates hit a lot of businesses, and they decided to terminate the IH dealership. Herman worked privately until 1986, then found work in Steinbach at an IH dealership as a parts technician. The dealership became a Case Power Equipment dealership and Herman worked as parts and later, Service Manager. The family moved to Brooks, AB in 1996, where he worked at a parts technician. In 2000, he worked for Metcalfe Garage in Treherne, MB as a parts technician. In 2007, he moved to Drumheller, AB, working as a parts person for Case IH. Herman retired from work in 2019. He found work with a local farmer who had old IH tractors and Herman loved working on the old tractors as a memory of his younger years as a mechanic. His hobbies included stamp collecting and building model trains. After this, he started to make photo albums of his younger years and started a family album after his marriage of his wife, Arlene and their children.

Herman is survived by his wife, Arlene; sons, David (Carolyn) and Daniel (Peggy); daughter, Jennifer (Dane); grandchildren, Dylan, Katerina, Brittanie, Ashley, Colby and Nash; great grandson, Conner; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his grandmother, Sijtje Klok; parents, Harm and Lijntje Ballast; brother, Armand Ballast; in-laws, Robert and Lily Duncan; brothers-in-law, Glen and Clifford Duncan; daughter, Nancy; grandson, Braeden; and granddaughter, Caitlyn.

A Celebration of Herman’s Life will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Knox United Church (195 – 3 Avenue E, Drumheller, AB).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Herman’s memory to The Heart & Stroke Foundation.

To view and share photos, condolences and memories of Herman with the family, please visit www.choicememorial.com.