Oct. 19, 1920 to Oct. 2, 2012
Special thanks going to Kathy and Ray Turner, Mary and Gary Algers, John’s special neighbours and their families who went out of their way to assist him in any way they could: the Blighton’s, the Milhomen’s, the Lovie’s, Lacasses’s, Qualizza and DeJong.
The RCMP and ambulance personnel and the fire department. Dr. Brown and assistants: who made house calls to his place, staff at Mills and Terraceview, Home Support staff: Sharron, Jennifer, Dawn. John said she is the small one, but boy is she strong! Grace, Patrick, Julia, There are others too but I don’t know their names.
Also a job well done to all. Bank tellers and staff at several banks, who I am sure wished at times that the bank had closed 10 mins before John got there.
To Mr. & Mrs. Cameron and Eli Christensen who helped me fill in some of the blanks in his past.
There will be coffee & tea served at the Happy Gang Wed., Oct. 24, 2012 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
From his family
John was born in St. John’s, New Brunswick. His father was born in Sweden and his mother in England. He came to B.C. as a child and a 1/2 sister was born in Prince George. After that they moved to Prince Rupert to live with his grandmother. Sometime later they moved to Copper city - Terrace, B.C.. This was the Old Skinner Store site, but John’s and family place was directly across the Skeena from there. It was the typical “tarpaper shack”.
When John was of working age he went back to Prince Rupert, where he worked in the shipyard and the “round house” for C.N.R. He also worked for CN as Watchman. CN used to have work camps on rail-sidings; consisting of railcars. There was one at Wedeene River. When work crews went to town or worked miles from camp, John would watch the camp. He was a steady and good worker. He worked in the woods industry. His dad had a pair of work horses that they did horse logging with. He was a faller who worked with Frank Froese. He rafted logs down Kalum Lake, which was where he suffered a severe injury to his leg. He nearly lost it, and was off work about 1.5 yrs. It was Hud Fisher who said “John I don’t think we can save your leg.”
He cut and made railway ties, worked at several mills. Two of which were LH&K and Pohle’s Mill on Kalum Lake Drive. This is where he met his first wife, and a daughter was born in 1944. In 1946 and 1947 he took flying lessons from C. Cooper. He logged in 17 hours. His granddaughter took up the same career and got her fixed wing and helicopter license. He worked for Dept. of Highways: snowplowing, driving truck and was positioned at Salvus during some winters.
I believe John received a driving award, but he was hopping mad when ICBC rescinded his license at age 90 for a couple of fender benders. He thought that award should allow him to drive as long as he wanted!
There were times when John had a good and kind heart to a fault. John had been in hospital off and on over part of the summer and early fall. Not getting around too well and confined to a wheelchair, made it impossible for him to return home, he was waiting for a place at Terraceview, when he unexpectedly passed away peacefully on Oct 2, 2012 at the hospital.
He is survived by daughter, son-in-law, grandson, a great-granddaughter and granddaughter.