Rudy Knitel

Peacefully, surrounded by family, and in the comfort of love, Rudy Max Knitel passed away on July 26, 2026, in his 86th year. He was the devoted husband to his true love Faye Knitel, his steadfast partner in both life and business, and the loving father of Georgina (Stephen), Jessica, and Christine (Adam). Rudy was a proud Opa to Lucas, Sicily, Quinn, Thomas, Cooper, and Hetti Coe, who will forever cherish his guidance, warmth, and the larger-than-life legacy he leaves behind. A dear friend to many across Alberta and beyond, Rudy leaves an unyielding passion for community, entrepreneurship, and family.

Rudy was born on October 26, 1940, in Voorburg, Netherlands to Johan Marie Knitel (born May 10, 1907) and Sarah Koe (born August 7, 1917). He innately had a natural drive and an infectious personality.  He leaves behind his sister Yvonne Kant, who resides in Chicago, and Fred Knitel, who resides in the Netherlands, and 4 nephews and 1 niece.  He is pre-deceased by his sister Marjoijne (passed 2020).

From a young age, Rudy possessed a rare blend of grit and charisma. These traits defined his entire journey, allowing him to connect seamlessly with anyone he met - from farmers to politicians to urban chefs. Rudy was never one to stay still. He spent his early years fueled by a strong work ethic, eventually studying agriculture in Meppel, Holland. After an 18-month work exchange in Fraser Valley, BC, Rudy chose to immigrate to Canada in 1960, journeying from the Netherlands to Pier 21 in Halifax, on through Southern Alberta to the Peace River area, by the lure to apply for a homestead. 

There he met Faye Darr, where they lived the adventure of pioneer life with their three daughters.  They homesteaded 1200 acres of treed land into farmland – entailing brush cutting, windrowing, burning, deep plowing, root picking, and finally cropping that land. They built the farm to 2100 owned acres, cropping conventional and registered seed crops, and raising Charolais cattle.

He and Faye spent many defining years together, with Rudy making most days an adventure.  He was known in Northern Alberta as the crazy Dutchman who swam the Mighty Peace River, fishtailed down the gravel roads with his ex-police cars he picked up at auction, and thawing his vehicles in the winter with a blow torch so he could go to the Tangent Hall for community meetings. Rudy had a knack to make life fun, including swimming in the dugouts and soccer games to break up the tireless days of picking roots.  It was a period of true hard work and resilience that laid the foundation for his lifelong dedication to the agricultural community.

Rudy’s commitment to community included more than livening up events with his larger than life personality; every winter he was part of the team building the ice bridge across the Peace River, he served Unifarm (on district, regional, and the provincial boards), the Tangent Board of Trade (lobbying for the Shaftsbury Ferry and development of the Tangent Park Campground), and the Birch Hills Gas Co-op (bringing natural gas in the farming community for home heating and grain drying).  He drew on his talent of charismatic inspiration, strong influence, and occasional intimidation. 

In 1986 they left the farm with the pull towards consulting in Russia (promoting zero-till), China (Timothy grass), Hungary and South Africa (vegetable packaging).  His work continued with equipment sales, hay processing and sales, and eventually procuring locally sourced produce and dairy for high-end restaurants and retail in the Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Edmonton corridor.

Driven by a grand vision for agriculture, local community, and food logistics, Rudy Knitel co-founded Galimax Trading Inc. alongside his wife, Faye. The company's humble beginnings included a Dodge van, a second home mortgage, and countless long hours on the road. However, rooted in Rudy's dedication to paying producers a fair price for premium goods and sourcing exceptional ingredients, these efforts built deeply trusted relationships that completely transformed the region’s agricultural network. By bridging the gap between independent southern Alberta producers and high-end provincial hospitality markets, Galimax has created a vital framework that serves as a cornerstone for the slow food movement across Alberta and southeastern British Columbia.

In his later years, even as the business grew, Rudy stayed grounded in the community he loved. He remained an avid supporter of sustainable agriculture and a mentor to the next generation of entrepreneurs. He took massive pride in knowing that his life's work helped put Southern Alberta on the culinary map.

Although Rudy defined himself and those around him by their work ethic and ability to be authentic, he had a penchant for humour, adventure, and fun.  He had a passion for horses and sailing (in keeping with his joy for speeding); when it was time for working  cattle, his favourite horse Flicka would travel by simply jumping into the open bed of the pickup truck and standing there without any stock racks.  He and Faye would sail many of the northern lakes with their Catamaran, once near drowning as they flipped the boat upside down with the mast stuck in the mud, having to swim hours to make shore.  In later years he rode motorcycle, riding speeds that lead to grandchildren never being allowed to ride with him.  Although work typically meant getting up at 3AM to return home long after daylight subsided, weekends often included Faye and Rudy adventuring together into the mountains by car, bike, or motorhome.  Longer trips included sailing trips in Europe with his brother, holidays with friends and family in Mexico and Europe, touring China and Central Europe, and cruises on the Danube River and Alaska.

Rudy spent his final days wrapped in the same profound warmth and love that he so freely gave to the world throughout his life. He passed with the quiet certainty that his vision would live on through the fields, the farmers, and the family he treasured. We are undeniably poorer for his absence but immeasurably richer for having known his unmatched spirit.

Messages from his daughters:

From Jessica:

Dad,

Our hearts were never ready to let you go, but there is comfort in knowing you went home surrounded by the love of your family. We like to think there was a joyous reunion waiting to greet you, and that now you soar, free from pain and at peace.

The world doesn't seem quite right now that you're gone. Even though we didn't see each other every day, I always knew you were there. That quiet comfort is something I'll miss more than words can say.

I hope you did everything you ever wanted to do. You raised a strong family, one that loves deeply and stands together. Through life's challenges, we never let each other fall too far, and we will carry that gift forward in your memory.

We'll be okay. We'll take care of one another, just as you would have wanted. And we'll make sure your little Mouse is always loved and cared for.

You will always be with us—in our hearts, in our memories, and in the love we share. Thank you for being our dad. We love you, and we will carry you with us always.

From Georgina:

Dad,

Thank you. Thank you for your steadfast love, and for voicing it every day when I was a child and continuing to do so every time, we saw each other after that. Thank you for your support, even when you once told me, “I disagree with 90% of everything you do.” Thank you for being proud of me and voicing it so often that I never doubted it.

Thank you for all your teachings. At times, I remember thinking, does there have to be a lesson in everything?

Thank you for believing in me and encouraging me to believe in myself, just like when you talked me into going to college after grade 11. Thank you for always having my back, like driving two hours to threaten the college administration on my behalf when they tried to hold my damage deposit because my roomies chose not to clean up on move-out day. Thank you for calming my anxiety about nuclear war and death when I was nine by standing over my bed night after night, quietly listening and assuring me.

Thank you for teaching me how to be independent by raising us on a homestead. Thank you for showing me that actions matter by driving a 12-hour round trip to buy me a riding helmet after my severe concussion from falling off my horse. Thank you for teaching me how to stand up for myself against the common mentality of “it’s easier to turn a blind eye,” like when you helped me confront the school bully and the school principal.

Thank you for demonstrating the power of play by living it every day. Thank you for introducing us to travel, classical music, and Dutch cheese. Thank you for demonstrating true generosity by happily sharing with anyone within your realm, without ever wanting recognition or repayment. Thank you for showing me how to live courageously through everything life threw at you, such as relationship breakdowns, financial stress, or health challenges, and for always pulling the positive from it.

I have lost my biggest fan and my ballast in life.

However, I am who I am today, in large part, because of you. And you will live on through your children - me and my beautiful sisters - and your fabulous grandchildren.

For all this, I thank you!

Words from some of his grandchildren:

Cooper Grier (son of Christine (Blair):

Something that stuck out to me was Opa's gratitude for what he had. He always talked about how much our family and Oma meant to him. He would tell me how loved he felt and how lucky he was to have his daughters. He felt so proud of his family, and seeing everyone come together for dinners and special occasions is what filled his heart. 

Opa always had so much trust for us. He loved to include his family in major components of his lifelike designing a house expansion, assisting with his Chef’s Tours, or choosing a new car for him - he trusted his family to give their hand in shaping his world. 

I think we can also agree that Opa's strongest personality trait was his grit. We would not be the strong Knitel's we are without the backbone of Opa's work ethic, stubbornness, strength, and passion we have in everything we do. 

Sicily Knitel-Althen - daughter of Georgina (John):

He was always so full of life.

One of my favorite memories with my Opa is when he took me on a grandchild date. We went to Firestone, and after spent hours listening to a classical musician . I was only 13 or 14 at the time, but I remember being struck by how genuinely happy he was. There was something almost childlike about his excitement- so pure, so full of joy. Looking back now, I think about how lucky I was to witness that moment of him. 

There was a moment when I surprised Opa that has always stayed with me. I remember it being early in the morning. I called out to him, and he let out the sweetest little scream of excitement. It was such a simple moment, but it made me feel so incredibly special and deeply loved. That was one of Opa's greatest gifts—he had a way of making the people around him feel so loved.

Most mornings, he would wake up early and make coffee for himself and Oma. They would spend the morning sitting on the bed together, sipping their coffee and watching the news. On that morning, he tucked me into bed beside them with my own cup of coffee. We sat there together, watching the news.

You are welcome to Celebration of Life to be held September 5, 2026, in Rudy & Faye’s backyard in Lethbridge from 2PM – 7PM.  Bring your stories to share the essence of Rudy!