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DOUGLAS UDELL
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Douglas (Doug) Udell after a valiant battle with cancer.
Doug lived his life large. He was extremely optimistic, energetic, and faced everything head-on.
Doug leaves behind his loving wife, Kathy; his son, Andrew (Courtney and Hanna); stepson, William (Amanda); his darling grandchildren, Skyler, Nataya, Charlotte, and Maxwell; his mother-in-law, Rosaleen; brothers-in-law, Mark (Holly), Sydney, Quinton (Vivian) Berger; sisters-in-law, Sandy (Murray), Madison (Mitchell), and Alexis; as well as our dear friend, Pamala Casey.
He also leaves behind his maternal family: aunty Helen Jones; cousins, Susan and David and family; cousins, Earle (Vicke), Darcy, Robert (Melissa), and Kerry (Wayne) of Tilston, Manitoba; as well as brother-in-law Gilbert Richard and family.
A special thank you to Colette McKinnon (née Richard), who supported and counselled us throughout his illness. We are forever grateful to this special human being.
Our family has been blessed and is grateful to have wonderful friends who supported Doug throughout his illness.
Doug was predeceased by his parents, H.N. (Doug) and Isabelle (Belle) Udell; his sister, Linda Richard; his daughter, Ashley; and his stepdaughter, Ashley Glen.
All of us who love you hope you finally have peace.
Doug was born in Brandon, Manitoba, in 1946 and moved to Edmonton in 1967. After a number of odd jobs, he ended up working for Erik Hansen at the Art Mart/Downstairs Gallery. It soon became apparent that he had an amazing way with people, as well as an exceptional eye and intuition for the visual arts. Erik took him under his wing and introduced him to the world of art and design, but it was the visual arts that captured Doug's imagination and sparked his excitement.
After Erik and his family moved back to Denmark, the Downstairs Gallery became a full-fledged exhibition gallery, and an unlikely partnership with Woltjen evolved when they opened the Woltjen/Udell Gallery on 124th Street in Edmonton. Doug received his art education in the studios of the artists he pursued and represented. He believed in getting to know the artists, learning from them, and never stopping that pursuit of knowledge.
Doug regularly travelled to the major art centres of North America, as well as throughout Europe, spending his time immersing himself in contemporary art. He would return from these trips to mount exhibitions, and his excitement and enthusiasm usually led to sold-out exhibitions and happy artists.
In 1986, the gallery expanded to Vancouver, and in 1992, Doug parted ways with Woltjen. Douglas Udell Gallery was born, opening in Edmonton in November 1992 while the Vancouver location was rebranded. In 2002, Udell Contemporary opened in Calgary.
Many collections were lovingly built. Doug was not only a great friend to the artists he represented, but he also forged lifelong friendships with many of his clients. Although he retired at the age of 70 in 2018 and closed the flagship gallery, his enthusiasm and genuine love of art informed his life until the very end.
His legacy is one we are extremely proud of.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Art Gallery of Alberta on June 20 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Seating will be limited.
The celebration will also be livestreamed on YouTube and may be viewed by searching @UdellBerger for the appropriate channel.
As published in Brandon Sun on Jun 13, 2026