Ryan Martin Birch

Ryan Martin Birch, born March 19, 1982, passed away peacefully on October 17, 2026, at the age of 44.

Ryan was born in Calgary, Alberta, and adopted at birth by Neil Birch and Carol Smith (formerly Birch). He was joined a few years later by a younger brother, Evan. As a child, Ryan enjoyed trips to visit extended family in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and often reminisced about the time he spent with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He enjoyed staying active by playing basketball and soccer; it was as a goalkeeper on the soccer field that he developed the strong leadership style he would carry with him many years later.

Anyone who spent any time with Ryan could tell you that he had an almost inhuman ability to absorb information and later put that knowledge to use on any one of the numerous projects he had going on at the time. So, it might come as a surprise that he wasn't always the most serious student. His time at Lester B. Pearson High School was full of friends, laughter, and occasionally some schoolwork. It was also where Ryan and his future wife, Leslie, first met in a Grade 10 Spanish class before spending the next few years slide-tackling one another on the soccer field.

It would take a few years after graduation, but they finally found their way back to one another in their 20s and were engaged six months later. Ryan and Leslie bought their home and were married in 2010. Shortly afterward, they adopted the sweetest puppy, Legend, who joined older cat-sister Kismet.

Merina, sporting the same blue eyes as her dad, arrived in 2012 and enjoyed being doted on as an only child until 2018 when Phoenix made his debut, this time with Ryan's curly hair. Legend and Kismet both achieved official "Old Lady" status before making their way across the Rainbow Bridge, and the family grew to include dogs Booth and Aubrey, and parkour cats Batman and (Poison) Ivy.

As self-professed "Northeast People," Ryan and Leslie looked for ways to make a positive impact in their little corner of the city. Ryan joined both the Community Association and the Homeowners Association and, in true Ryan fashion, made friends with everyone, including the Ward 5 councillor and former Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

He was the "yes man" when it came to the family supporting the rescue that had helped them add so many fur babies to their family. What started as, "Sure, let's foster a puppy from AARCS," quickly became, "How much space does that bunny need?", "No, three two-week-old puppies won't be too much," and "When is that little guinea pig going to have her babies?" At one point, the animal count in the house reached double digits. There was noise, there was chaos, there was definitely a lot of poop... and there was so much love.

When Merina reached Grade 6 and had the opportunity to try out for school sports teams, she discovered that she loved soccer. It was a dream come true for Ryan and gave him the opportunity to coach her team. It took a few seasons for them to find a club where they felt instantly welcomed.

At the time of his passing, Ryan had just begun coaching Merina's fifth season with Calgary North East United. Together, they had earned four provincial competition medals, along with many more from other tournaments. He loved when they won games, but he cheered the loudest when he saw players putting new skills to use and improving on the field. His biggest goal every season was for the girls to have fun and feel good about themselves as players and as valued members of the team.

Throughout his adult life, Ryan worked for several different companies. In the fall of 2025, he took many of the same lessons he had spent years instilling in his players and carried them into a new chapter of his own when he joined the team at Aecon. Stepping into a position and department he helped create, Ryan quickly found somewhere he felt he belonged. From the very beginning, he felt like an important part of the team. This was going to be a career, not just a job, one where he came home every day feeling heard and appreciated.

Ryan passed peacefully at home after a recent hospitalization.

He is survived by his wife, Leslie (Whitehead), and the two people he was most proud of, Merina and Phoenix. He is also survived by his parents, Neil Birch and Carol Smith; his brother, Evan Birch (Cassie Hawrysh), and nieces Rio and Mia; his in-laws, Ron and Dalene Whitehead; honorary siblings, Steven and Lesley Whitehead (niece Georgia), Andy Klapp (niece Isabelle), Jaime and Neil Macdonald (nephews Jordan and Michael, and niece Kristin), and Chad Custus (Ami Lukinchuk).

He will also be lovingly remembered by his Aunt Judith and Uncle Rob, as well as numerous cousins and more friends than anyone could imagine. Ryan was grateful to have connected with his biological aunt, Nancy, and cousins Sarah and Courtney, in his 40s, and they bonded over many shared interests.

He was predeceased by both sets of grandparents, as well as honorary sister Candice Klapp.

If you would like to support a charitable cause in Ryan's name, please consider making a donation to AARCS (Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society) or to a charity that helps bridge the financial gap for kids discovering their passions, such as KidSport or Jumpstart.

A Celebration of Life in Ryan's honour will be held at a later date.